The South Korean top court has ruled that the global hit song “Baby Shark” was not plagiarized, dismissing claims made by a local children’s song composer. The Supreme Court declared the 2016 song, which has become a viral phenomenon with billions of views on YouTube, to be an original work.
The ruling came after composer Kim Min-seok filed a lawsuit in 2017, alleging that “Baby Shark” copied his 2011 song, which shares a similar melody and theme. However, the court found that the two songs were not similar enough to constitute plagiarism, noting that common elements in songs targeting children are to be expected.
Kim Min-seok expressed disappointment at the court’s decision but stated that he would respect the judgment. On the other hand, the creators of “Baby Shark,” South Korean educational company Pinkfong, welcomed the ruling, emphasizing that they have always maintained the originality of their work.
The “Baby Shark” song, known for its catchy tune and simple dance moves, has gained massive popularity worldwide since its release. Despite the legal battle in South Korea, the court’s verdict now solidifies the song’s standing as an original creation that has captured the hearts of children and adults globally.
Sources Analysis:
– Supreme Court of South Korea: The court is a reliable source for legal matters and rulings in the country. It is not directly involved in the case and has an interest in upholding the law impartially.
– Kim Min-seok: As the composer who brought the lawsuit, Kim Min-seok may have a personal interest in proving plagiarism to seek recognition and potentially financial compensation.
– Pinkfong: As the creator of “Baby Shark,” Pinkfong is interested in defending the originality of their work to protect their reputation and commercial interests.
Fact Check:
– The Supreme Court ruled that “Baby Shark” was not plagiarized – Verified facts; The court’s ruling is a verifiable outcome of the legal proceedings.
– Kim Min-seok filed a lawsuit alleging plagiarism – Verified facts; It is a fact that Kim Min-seok initiated legal action against Pinkfong.
– “Baby Shark” has become a global viral hit – Verified facts; The popularity of “Baby Shark” can be confirmed through its widespread recognition and billions of views on online platforms.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Baby Shark song not plagiarised – South Korean top court”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.