South Korean juggernaut BTS have received some good news on the legal front. A US federal court has dismissed a copyright lawsuit filed against the group and their agency, Big Hit Music, after the complainant failed to establish a valid case. The ruling puts an end to one legal dispute involving the K-pop group. However, another case over their song SWIM is still underway, with Big Hit Music strongly denying claims that the track copies another composition.
The US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed Melissa Mays’ amended complaint on October 22, ruling in favour of BTS, Big Hit Music, HYBE and HYBE America, according to South Korean publication Star News. Melissa had filed the lawsuit on August 25, claiming that BTS and their team had used her unreleased songs without her consent. Composers Steve Cooper, John Sandler and Graylin Johnson filed the lawsuit in the Central District of California on July 8, claiming that the BTS song uses elements from their copyrighted work. The composers allege that the song is similar to a demo they had completed in March 2025, which also goes by the same name. They made their debut in June 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment, which is now part of HYBE. The group made their long-awaited comeback as a full unit on March 20, 2026, with their fifth studio album, ARIRANG. Featuring 14 tracks, the album marked their first full-group release in three years and nine months. BTS also kicked off their 2026-27 world tour in Goyang, South Korea, on April 9. The tour covers 34 regions and includes 85 shows across Asia, North America, South America, Europe and Australia, with the final leg scheduled to run until March 2027.
However, she could not provide specific evidence to support her allegation or establish that the group’s music had been taken from her work. The Virginia court’s decision does not put an end to all the legal trouble surrounding BTS. The group is still facing a separate copyright case in the US over the song. The song features as the title track of BTS’ fifth studio album, Arirang. To support their claim, they have reportedly submitted a musicologist’s analysis highlighting similarities between the two tracks. They have pointed to the melody, chorus, harmony, rhythm and lyrics, arguing that the overlap amounts to copyright infringement. The composers are seeking damages and a share of the profits from the BTS song. Big Hit Music has pushed back against the accusations, making it clear that the agency does not agree with the composers’ claims. Responding to the lawsuit, the label stated: “This is merely a unilateral claim by the plaintiff. SWIM is a song created independently. BTS, whose name stands for Bangtan Sonyeondan, are a seven-member South Korean group comprising RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook.
Since then, the group has grown from a K-pop act into a global music phenomenon, building a massive fan following across countries and taking Korean music to a much wider audience.
