BTS Agency Denies Copyright Allegations Over Hit Single 'Swim' After US Lawsuit

BTS's management agency has reportedly denied allegations that the group's hit single Swim copied an unreleased song after three American songwriters filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in a California federal court.

The lawsuit was filed on July 8 in the US District Court for the Central District of California by songwriters Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson.

Songwriters Allege Similarities With Unreleased Demo

According to the complaint, first reported by Billboard, the three songwriters alleged that Swim, the lead single from BTS's fifth studio album Arirang, copied substantial elements from an unpublished demo they had written under the same title.

The complaint names Hybe, Hybe America, Big Hit Music, and several of the song's credited writers, including Ryan Tedder, as defendants.

Hybe and Big Hit Named in Complaint

Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company that owns Big Hit Music, oversees the group's management and music operations.

However, BTS and its members have not been named as defendants in the lawsuit, despite group leader RM receiving a songwriting credit on the track.

Agency Rejects Allegations

Responding to the lawsuit on Friday, Big Hit Music rejected the allegations and said it would challenge the claims through legal proceedings.

"The lawsuit contains only the plaintiffs' unilateral claims," the agency said in a statement to the South Korean media outlet.

"We clearly maintain that Swim is an independent, original work. We will respond firmly through the legal process," it added.

BTS Return With 'Arirang' After Hiatus

The seven-member group — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — had been on hiatus since 2022 before returning in March 2026 with their fifth studio album Arirang.

The band is currently undertaking its first world tour since completing South Korea's mandatory military service requirements and its first full-group tour in nearly four years.

Case Expected to Proceed in US Court

The copyright dispute is expected to proceed through the US federal court system in the coming months as both sides prepare their legal arguments.