Rosé and Bruno Mars’ collaborative hit “APT,” which has been making waves in K-pop, is now caught up in a plagiarism controversy.
The song in question, which is said to resemble “APT,” is “Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid” by Japanese singer-songwriter Mikun Sawai, released on November 13, 2013. This song gained popularity in Japan at the time, peaking at No. 37 on the Oricon chart.
Listeners pointed out that the main melody at the 40-second mark of “Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid” (ごめんね、いいコじゃいられない。) and the main melody at the 33-second mark of “APT” are similar. When the tempo of “APT” was adjusted to match “Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid,” the resemblance became even more apparent.
Mikun Sawai’s “Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid” is a lively dance song that captures the rebellious spirit of teenagers. While the overall intro of the song gives off a different vibe from “APT,” the main melody, which holds significant weight in both songs, has sparked controversy, with many claiming they are “too similar.”
“APT” was composed by Bruno Mars, Rosé, Rock City, and Circuit, among others.
Listeners who have heard both songs are also saying things like, “Aren’t they basically the same song?” and “There’s a reason why the melody feels familiar.”
One listener commented, “Rosé used a problematic melody. Looking at how ‘Tommy Basil’s’ Miki was credited, it seems like Rosé and Bruno Mars were mindful of potential plagiarism issues. However, the important hook part is so heavily used that it’s difficult to tell who the original creator is. It’s wise not to use melodies like this, as it’s hard to trace the original composer.”
The listener continued, “When it’s hard to trace the original creator of a common melody, the right approach is to sample from pre-existing songs. Using an already-existing melody can’t be considered composing, and whether it’s subconscious or intentional, it qualifies as plagiarism. This Japanese song is just one example for comparison, but it’s unlikely that it’s the only song with a similar melody to ‘APT.’”
The listener added, “Fortunately, this melody has been around for so long that even those who’ve used it previously might not know who the original creator is, so it’s unlikely anyone will file a lawsuit against Rosé.”
As the controversy over the similarity and plagiarism between “APT” and “Sorry, I Can’t Be a Good Kid” spreads, debates continue to rage.
The collaboration between Rosé and Bruno Mars, “APT,” surpassed 100 million views on its music video within five days of release, and immediately topped the U.S. Spotify chart. It also entered the UK Official Chart’s Top 100 at No. 4, and is expected to chart high on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Especially noteworthy is Bruno Mars’ reaction to “APT” reaching No. 1 on the Mnet music show “M Countdown.” On October 25, he posted on Instagram, “Thank you so much to the Korean fans. I cried all morning after our first music show win. Thank you for loving ‘APT’ so much.”
Source: nate
