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BTS's agency, Big Hit Music, has broken its silence on a copyright lawsuit involving the group's hit song "Swim," denying the allegations and calling the claims "unilateral and unsubstantiated."

Big Hit Music has denied allegations that BTS' hit song "Swim" infringed on the copyright of an unreleased demo by three American songwriters.

According to reports by Music Business Worldwide (MBW) and The Korea Herald, US songwriters Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler, and Greylyn Johnson filed a copyright infringement lawsuit before the US District Court for the Central District of California.

The complaint alleges that "Swim," the lead single from BTS' album Arirang, bears substantial similarities to a demo of the same title that the three writers created in early 2025.

The lawsuit names HYBE, HYBE America, Big Hit Music, and several of the song's credited writers as defendants. BTS members are not included in the lawsuit, nor are RM and producer Pdogg, despite receiving songwriting credits on the track.

According to the complaint, the plaintiffs completed their demo in March 2025 and shared it with music industry contacts, including executives at Artist Publishing Group, through the music-sharing platform Disco. They claim the recording may have eventually reached writers involved in creating BTS' version of "Swim."

The plaintiffs also commissioned musicologist Alexander Stewart to compare the two songs. The complaint says Stewart identified similarities in the songs' title hook, harmony, rhythm, texture, and lyrics.

The songwriters are seeking to halt further commercial use of "Swim" and are asking for damages and profits generated by the song. Alternatively, they are requesting to be recognized as co-writers and receive a share of the song's copyright royalties.

Big Hit Music, however, rejected the allegations.

In a statement reported by MBW, the agency said, "'Swim' is an independent creation."

"The allegations in the lawsuit are unilateral and unsubstantiated. We will respond firmly through the appropriate legal process," it added.

The case will proceed through the US legal system, where the court will determine whether the similarities cited in the complaint constitute copyright infringement.

Released earlier this year, "Swim" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. It later received the Song of the Summer award at the 2026 American Music Awards.

Big Hit Music, Hybe's music subsidiary and BTS' agency, on Friday denied allegations that the group's global hit "Swim" infringed on the copyright of a song by three US songwriters.https://t.co/RmNvHnl0uH

— The Korea Herald 코리아헤럴드 (@TheKoreaHerald) July 10, 2026

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