DJ R.Tee's New Song "DamDaDi" Music Video Faces Plagiarism Controversy
French Singer Yseult Strongly Protests: "It's Copy-Paste Level"
Music Video Director Issues Apology: "It Is True I Was Inspired"
French singer Yseult has publicly accused DJ R.Tee's new music video, which features (G)I-DLE member Jeon Soyeon, of plagiarizing her own work. As the controversy grew, director Hong Minho, who directed the music video, admitted, "It is true that I was inspired," and issued an apology.
Alti music video (above) and Isolde music video (below). Screenshot from Isolde's X (formerly Twitter)
On October 11 (local time), Yseult posted a video on her social media comparing scenes from DJ R.Tee's "DamDaDi" music video and her own song "Bitch You Could Never." She stated, "This copy-paste is disgusting," and criticized, "They blatantly copied my music video without giving any credit."
The video she released included several similar elements, such as walking through an office hallway, a bookshelf collapsing, and a male actor's tie being pulled. Yseult emphasized, "The least that directors, labels, artists, and everyone involved should do is to have the decency to include the source in the credits."
She further argued, "Like other industries, the K-pop industry has been vampirically absorbing Black culture for decades," adding, "They sample our sound, steal our moves, and wear our skin like a costume. They erase our names and profit from our pain." She continued, "Stop stealing from artists and acting as if it carries no weight."
Music Video Director: "It Is True I Was Inspired, I Take Full Responsibility"... R.Tee and Jeon Soyeon Distance Themselves
As the controversy intensified, Hong Minho, the director of the "DamDaDi" music video, released a statement on his social media. He explained, "It is true that I was inspired by Yseult's work and her directorial style," and added, "I have long deeply respected Yseult and the directors she has worked with, and that respect naturally influenced several visual ideas in this project."
He continued, "I sincerely apologize for the scenes that were directly similar to Yseult's original work," and said, "If this caused discomfort to Yseult and her team, I deeply regret it."
However, he clarified, "The concept and direction of this music video were entirely my responsibility," and added, "Neither artist Jeon Soyeon nor R.Tee were involved in the creative direction or the selection of references."
Netizens who compared the two music videos commented, "I'm angry and embarrassed," and "Being inspired and copying outright are completely different things."
R.Tee is a producer who has worked with Big Bang, Blackpink, Winner, aespa's Winter, Jeon Somi, and others. He recently expanded his activities by establishing his own independent label, "R.Tee's Label." "DamDaDi" is the title track of a double single R.Tee released in August, featuring Jeon Soyeon, who also appears in the music video.
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