SEVENTEEN’s Jeonghan and Wonwoo Teaser Sparks Controversy: Netizens Defend Against Plagiarism Claims

Netizens have rallied in defense of SEVENTEEN’s Jeonghan and Wonwoo following accusations that their album teaser plagiarized aespa’s concept.

Netizens have rallied in defense of SEVENTEEN’s Jeonghan and Wonwoo following accusations that their album teaser plagiarized aespa’s concept.

On May 19 (KST), SEVENTEEN announced that Jeonghan and Wonwoo would be releasing their first single album titled This Man. Shortly after, a visual teaser was released, generating a mix of excitement and controversy.

The teaser video, filled with an air of mystery and excitement, quickly drew comparisons to aespa’s previous teasers. Netizens accused Pledis Entertainment of plagiarizing aespa’s concept.

Plagiarism Accusations and Netizen Reactions

Netizens initially believed the teaser was plagiarized, but the narrative shifted when evidence surfaced pointing to the same artist behind both concepts. The Instagram account @ohso0hwan posted SEVENTEEN’s teaser on their stories, and netizens noticed the same account had posted aespa’s concept video that SEVENTEEN was accused of copying.

Investigating further, netizens discovered that the artist had a history of similar projects on their website, suggesting that this aesthetic was a signature style used across various works, including collaborations with brands like Gentle Monster and Samsung.

CARATs Defend SEVENTEEN

When CARATs, SEVENTEEN’s fanbase, identified the designer, they defended against the plagiarism claims. They argued that aespa did not own the concept; rather, it was an established aesthetic that the creator had been using for many years in multiple projects.

While plagiarism allegations are a sensitive and recurring topic in the industry, many netizens believe it’s unreasonable to claim plagiarism in this instance, given the shared artist behind both teasers.