SM Entertainment’s “Plagiarism” Allegation Sparks Again After aespa’s “Black Mamba” MV Teaser Drops

With their debut right around the corner, aespa and SM Entertainment have been building high anticipation with a series of tweets sharing intriguing teaser photos and videos.

aespa | @aespa_official/Twitter

The group’s latest featured the music video teaser for their debut track “Black Mamba”.

aespa 에스파 'Black Mamba' MV Teaser

aespa 에스파 [Black Mamba]
🎵 2020.11.17 6PM KST#aespa #æspa #에스파#BlackMamba pic.twitter.com/yGpShtnP8r

— aespa (@aespa_official) November 15, 2020

Unfortunately, when the MV teaser went live, K-Pop fans began comparing the clip to the virtual League of Legends girl group K/DA‘s “POP/STARS” music video…

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… and pointing out the similarities. From the location being on the subway…

Your browser does not support video.aespa’s “Black Mamba”

Your browser does not support video.K/DA’s “POP/STARS”

… to the neon color schemes and graffiti getting used…

Your browser does not support video.aespa’s “Black Mamba”

Your browser does not support video.K/DA’s “POP/STARS”

… plus the Black Mamba’s overall aesthetic looking similar…

Your browser does not support video.aespa’s “Black Mamba”

Your browser does not support video.K/DA’s “POP/STARS”

… fans can’t help but “question SM Entertainment’s intentions“.

“Isn’t SM Entertainment a big agency? What is this complete lack of creativity… This is shocking.”
“What is wrong with them…”
“Are they kidding, from AVATAR to the MV, everything overlaps. How can they keep insisting they didn’t plagiarize? There are so many similarities.”
“Are they a new K/DA cover group?”
“LMFAO. Seriously though… This is so obvious. What are they even doing?”

This isn’t the first time aespa faced plagiarism allegations. K/DA has been ceaselessly mentioned ever since aespa’s “AI” concept was initially revealed…

aespa’s AI members. | @aespa_official/Twitter

K/DA | Twitter

… but with the release of the MV teaser, another visual artist from Germany, Timo Helgert, questioned the content on his Instagram @vacades. His work is said to be thematically almost identical…

Your browser does not support video.aespa’s “Black Mamba”

Your browser does not support video.Timo Helgert’s original work. | @vacades/Instagram

… to aespa’s.

Your browser does not support video.Timo Helgert’s original work. | @vacades/Instagram

Timo Helgert claimed that it “seems like [SM Entertainment] copied” his work — clarifying that “they didn’t ask [him] and [he] didn’t work on it.”