Recently, solo artist Jeon Somi announced her upcoming return to the music market. Accordingly, the female singer will release a special summer single “Ice Cream” on August 2. However, this news has received mixed reactions from the public.
Koreaboo (South Korea) reported that Jeon Somi's fans are eagerly anticipating her return and appreciate the aesthetics of this concept. Some even compare it to the style of Barbie dolls.
However, a portion of the audience pointed out that the upcoming single from the "mixed-race rose" and the concept of “Ice Cream” seem strangely familiar. The reason is not only the same name, but the aesthetics of the product also bear many similarities to the MV “Ice Cream” by Blackpink and Selena Gomez.
Nevertheless, the media hopes that Jeon Somi's new single will not have the same sound and melody as her senior's hit song. Meanwhile, many fans are also speaking out in defense of the female singer, arguing that the similarities may not be her fault.
They argue that Blackpink released “Ice Cream” while still under YG Entertainment and Jeon Somi is under The Black Label - an affiliated company of YG, so she is working with some YG producers, including Teddy - the "music wizard" who played a role in Blackpink's success.
Therefore, many people are blaming the management company for the lack of creativity in launching new products as well as remaining silent amidst the controversy, instead of speaking out to protect their artist.
Previously (August 2023), The Black Label also had to issue an official apology after a cartoon character image in Jeon Somi's MV “Fast Forward” was accused of plagiarizing the manga “Urusei Yatsura” by famous manga artist Rumiko Takahashi. This character scene was also removed from the MV immediately afterward.
