어쿠스틱레인이 부른 ‘러브 이즈 캐논(Love is canon)’ 우크렐레 버전이 로이킴의 ‘봄봄봄’보다 음악저작권협회(이하 음저협)에 늦게 등록된 것으로 확인됐다.
16일 일간스포츠에 따르면 음저협 관계자는 “‘러브 이즈 캐논’ 원곡은 2012년 3월에 등록된 게 맞고 우크렐레 버전은 지난 5월 27일 등록된 것이 확인됐다. 피아노 버전도 5월 13일 등록됐다”고 전했다.
로이킴 ‘봄봄봄’ 표절 의혹을 촉발시킨 곡은 2012년 3월 어쿠스틱레인이 발표한 곡 ‘러브 이즈 캐논’의 우크렐레 버전. 그런데 원곡이 아닌 우크렐레 버전의 도입부가 ‘봄봄봄’과 유사하면서 문제가 다소 복잡해졌었다. 결국 표절 시비를 가리기 위해서는 누가 먼저 음저협에 등록했는지 여부가 쟁점이 됐다.
이에 일각에서는 어쿠스틱레인이 ‘봄봄봄’ 인기에 뒤늦게 음저협에 등록한 것이 아니냐는 목소리도 나오고 있다.
로이킴 측 관계자는 일간스포츠를 통해 “이렇게라도 억울함을 조금은 덜게 됐다. 다시 한번 말하지만 로이킴은 ‘러브 이즈 캐논’을 들어본 적이 없다”고 강조했다.
한편 로이킴 '봄봄봄' 'Love is Canon' 표절 시비에 누리꾼들은 “로이킴 봄봄봄 Love is canon 도입부가 정말 비슷하긴 하더라”, “로이킴 봄봄봄 Love is canon, 진실 밝혀지길”, “로이킴 봄봄봄 Love is canon 비슷하긴 한데 캐논 코드는 워낙 많이 쓰는거라…”, “로이킴 봄봄봄 Love is canon, 우크렐레 버전만 비슷하던데 봄봄봄 보다 늦게 등록된 거라 하니 진실은 오리무중이네” 라는 등의 반응을 보였다.
Roy Kim plagiarism dispute pops up yet again
By Yoon Min-sik
Suspicions that South Korean singer Roy Kim plagiarized a song by a less well-known musician resurfaced this week, three months after the allegation was first raised in April.
On Monday, the Internet swarmed with rumors that “Spring Spring Spring,” the self-written debut single from the 20-year-old singer’s first album “Love Love Love,” copied “Love is Canon” by indie artist Acoustic Rain.
The first verses of the two songs follow virtually identical melody lines, fueling speculation that Kim might have stolen the idea from the underground musician, who released the song last year.
Kim’s fans and critics were at loggerheads online over whether the singer had copied the main theme of the acoustic ballad. Some online observers bombarded Kim’s radio program with requests for “Love is Canon.”
“If you really did not copy his song, then please play this song,” wrote one netizen.
It was revealed later in the day, however, that the song in question by Acoustic Rain was a variation of the original version. An official at the Korea Music Copyright Association told The Korea Herald on Tuesday that the ukulele version was registered in May this year, well after Kim had released “Spring Spring Spring” on April 22.
It seems unlikely that the dispute will settle soon as many have been questioning whether “Spring Spring Spring” copied the key melody of the original “Love is Canon.”
Some online users made a website called “Ro-jin-yo,” meaning “We demand the truth from Roy Kim” and demanded that the singer tell the truth about the alleged plagiarism.
Roy Kim, who held his first solo concert last week, is best known as the 2012 winner of the popular TV audition program “Superstar K4.”
This is not the first time a famous Korean musician has been accused of stealing a melody or idea from a lesser-known artist.
Earlier this year, a Seoul court ruled that singer and songwriter Park Jin-young had infringed on the copyright of another songwriter, Kim Shin-il, in writing the song “Someday” for singer IU.
Park appealed, with the case moving to the Supreme Court and now awaiting a final decision.
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)