South Korea’s courts have rejected a plagiarism claim from a US composer who argued that Baby Shark, the catchy children’s tune which became a global phenomenon, had copied his track.
Jonathan Wright launched his case in the South Korean courts in 2021, arguing that Baby Shark had copied his song’s bass line and rhythm, infringing on the copyright of a track he had released four years earlier.
However, South Korea’s top court ruled against him on Thursday, noting that both tunes were based on a classic melody played at children’s summer camps in the US.
The Supreme Court found Wright’s tune did not vary enough from the original to qualify for copyright protection, and that Baby Shark also had clear differences as a song.
Pinkfong, the South Korean children’s content firm which released the earworm in 2015, welcomed the ruling, which upheld those made by the country’s lower courts. Wright had twice appealed against judgments in 2021 and 2023.
The ruling concludes the New York-based composer’s six-year fight in the South Korean courts. His lawyer called the outcome “a little disappointing”, Reuters reported.
‘Pop culture icon’ worth millions
Pinkfong said the court’s judgment confirmed that Baby Shark was based on a “traditional singalong chant” in the public domain. The firm said it had boosted the tune and given it “a fresh twist to the chant by adding an upbeat rhythm and catchy melody, turning it into the pop culture icon it is today”.
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The firm released the track in 2015 on YouTube with a Baby Shark Dance video, which went viral. It has received more than 16 billion views since then, making it one of the most popular YouTube videos on record.
The song and its associated products – including TV shows, movies and touring musicals based around the family of Baby Shark characters remain a key earner for Pinkfong, which reported $32.6m (£24m) in revenue for the first half of 2025.
Wright had launched a damages claim asking for compensation of $21,700.
