Copyright Lawsuit Over 'Baby Shark' to Conclude After Six Years

The long-standing copyright infringement lawsuit regarding the popular children's song 'Baby Shark' (상어가족) is set to conclude after six years. The Supreme Court of South Korea has scheduled the ruling date for the appeal filed by American composer Jonathan Robert Light (also known as Johnny Only) for August 14.

In March 2019, Light claimed that 'Baby Shark' plagiarized his traditional children's song, which he remade in 2011, arguing that the song had unique characteristics. He filed a lawsuit against SmartStudy, the company behind 'Baby Shark', seeking damages.

SmartStudy countered that 'Baby Shark' is a remake of a North American traditional song, which is either anonymous or has expired copyright, thus not subject to restrictions. Both the first and second trials ruled in favor of SmartStudy, but Light's team did not accept the verdicts.

'Baby Shark' was released by SmartStudy in 2015 through its educational content brand Pinkfong. The song made history by reaching number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the first Korean children's song to enter the main Billboard charts. It also entered the UK Official Singles Chart in 2018, further solidifying its global impact.