French singer Yseult accuses R.Tee and I-DLE's Soyeon of copying music video, director issues apology
French artist Yseult has accused K-pop musicians R.Tee and Soyeon of copying her music video “B**ch You Could Never” for their recent collaboration “DAMDADI.”
The singer shared several posts on X, pointing out what she described as “shot for shot” similarities between the two visuals, originally directed by Marita & Shadrinsky.
In her statement, Yseult wrote, “I’ve built a world that was never meant to be protected… And now? I’m watching artists copy my music video shot for shot with zero credit and zero respect.” She added, “I wrote this song about artists copying me. Well… I guess when you go global, the thieves go global too right?”
« BITCH YOU COULD NEVER »
Isn’t just a title, it’s a statement !
I’ve built a world that was never meant to be protected .. a world criticized, ignored and pushed aside because being a Black alternative pop woman scares the system.
And now ? I’m watching artists copy my music… pic.twitter.com/crgonHjP9PThe pop artist went on to criticise the wider music industry, writing, “Let’s be real, the K-pop industry like many others has been draining Black culture like a vampire for decades… profiting from our pain while erasing our names.” She urged her followers to “stop stealing from artists and acting like there’s no weight to it.”
Following her posts, director Hong Minho of Achilles Film released a public apology, confirming that he was “inspired by Yseult’s work and her directing style.” He stated, “I sincerely apologise that certain scenes were expressed in a way that directly resembled her original work.” Hong also clarified that “R.Tee and Soyeon had no involvement in choosing the creative direction or references.”
The video’s production team, including ZanyBros and Boyyd, has not yet issued a response. While the controversy has sparked debate online, many have praised Yseult for addressing issues of artistic credit and cultural respect.