Intellectual Property Clash: BigHit Music Vows Defiance Over U.S. Copyright Lawsuit Targeting BTS Single 'Swim'

LOS ANGELES, CA — The global music industry faces a major legal standoff as HYBE subsidiary BigHit Music categorically rejected an explosive copyright infringement lawsuit filed in the United States over BTS’s record-breaking single, "Swim." The lawsuit, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that the track lifted critical elements from an unreleased track of the identical name.

The legal action was orchestrated by three American songwriters—Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson. According to the court filings, the plaintiffs assert that "Swim," the monumental lead single from BTS’s fifth studio album Arirang, bears undeniable structural and lyrical similarities to a demo recording they completed in March 2025. The lawsuit names parent company HYBE, HYBE America, BigHit Music, and several of the song’s credited western co-writers, including OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, Derrick Milano, and James Essien, as corporate and individual defendants.

LITIGATION RESUME: THE "SWIM" COPYRIGHT CASE 

• Jurisdiction: 

U.S. District Court (Central District of CA) 

• Plaintiffs: 

Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, Greylyn Johnson

• Principal Targets:

HYBE, HYBE America, BigHit Music, Ryan Tedder 

• Excluded Parties: 

All BTS Members (including co-writer RM), Pdogg 

• Plaintiff Demand:

Alternative co-composer status & profit allocation

• Defense Stance: 

"Independent creation" — absolute denial 

The Arguments Over Access and Similarity

In copyright litigation, proving "access"—the realistic opportunity for the defendant to have heard the original work before creating their own—is often the hardest hurdle. To satisfy this criteria, the plaintiffs claim they heavily circulated their demo starting in March 2025 to high-profile industry entities, explicitly highlighting an independent publishing entity, Artist Publishing Group (APG).

The lawsuit includes a listening history report generated from the digital file-sharing platform Disco.ac. The plaintiffs allege that this report proves APG executives accessed and played their original file, subsequently introducing the track to individuals who ended up in the writing room for the BTS hit.

To fortify the claim of substantial similarity, the plaintiffs retained the services of prominent forensic musicologist Alexander Stewart. Stewart’s preliminary report, built into the complaint, notes distinct technical overlap, stating:

"In my expert opinion, independent creation can be ruled out, and copying is the inescapable conclusion."

Significantly, Stewart previously served as an expert witness in iconic copyright defenses for Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" and Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven"—both of which resulted in total defense victories.

BigHit's Defiant Stance and Commercial Stakes

BigHit Music wasted no time launching a counter-offensive, breaking its silence with an uncompromising public statement on July 10, 2026.

BigHit Music Official Legal Position 

 The Core Defense

Operational Plan

 • "The lawsuit represents nothing 

• Comprehensive legal challenge

 more than a one-sided argument." 

 in California federal court.

• "'Swim' is an independent, original 

• Zero compromise on publishing

 work created with total integrity." 

 royalties or composer credits.

"This lawsuit represents nothing more than a one-sided argument put forward by the plaintiffs," a spokesperson for BigHit Music confirmed via Yonhap. "We make it unequivocally clear that 'Swim' was created independently and originally. We will respond forcefully through proper legal channels going forward."

The timing of this litigation brings massive operational friction. "Swim" remains a dominant juggernaut on the global Billboard charts and serves as the emotional anchor for BTS's highly publicized Arirang promotional era. Furthermore, the legal drama surfaces just days before BTS is scheduled to headline the massive halftime showcase at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in North America on July 19, performing alongside iconic artists like Justin Bieber, Madonna, and Shakira.

Legal analysts suggest that because none of the individual BTS members—including group leader RM, who holds an official writing credit on the track—were personally named as defendants, the dispute will likely morph into a high-stakes corporate insurance battle behind closed doors.