The Ghost of 1995 Plagiarism: 5 Questions Lee Sang-min's 29-Year-Late Clarification of Rula's 'Cheonsan-yuae' Controversy Poses to K-Pop Copyright History

Why does this matter now? The plagiarism controversy surrounding Rula, which shook the Korean pop industry in 1995, was revived in 2026 by a single YouTube entertainment segment. The reason a 29-year-old clarification from one celebrity is causing such a stir is that it is not merely a story from the past — it is directly connected to today's K-pop issues of copyright, misinformation, and mental health care.

TL;DR

• Rula's third album title track 'Cheonsan-yuae' (1995) was found just before broadcast to have plagiarized the Japanese idol group Ninja's 'Omatsuri Ninja.'
• On March 2, 2026, Lee Sang-min appeared on YouTube's 'Jjan Han-hyeong Shin Dong-yeop' and confessed he was "hospitalized from the shock" at the time, directly addressing the false 'suicide attempt' reports.
• Tak Jae-hoon recalled "running to the hospital in tears," revealing the wounds the misinformation inflicted on those around him as well.
• 1990s K-pop had virtually no copyright management system in place, and this structural vacuum led to collective evasion of responsibility.
• This incident reconnects with today's question of redefining copyright boundaries in the age of AI-generated music.

The Facts: What Happened

Rula had completed recording their third album title track 'Cheonsan-yuae' in 1995, just before its broadcast release. However, claims spread online that the melody was nearly identical to Japanese idol group Ninja's 'Omatsuri Ninja,' and this was confirmed to be true.

On the YouTube channel 'Jjan Han-hyeong Shin Dong-yeop,' published on March 2, 2026, Lee Sang-min appeared alongside Shin Dong-yeop, Tak Jae-hoon, and Kim Jun-ho to directly address the incident for the first time in 29 years. He stated, "It was a huge shock when I found out the original song existed. I wished it had been a remake — my pride was hurt," and revealed, "I was so distressed that I was hospitalized."

Tak Jae-hoon referenced the 'suicide attempt' rumors that had spread through the media at the time: "I ran to the hospital in tears. I grabbed the bandaged wrist and cried, 'I'm living on a single coin — why would you die?'" However, when the bandage was removed, a scab had already formed, and Lee Sang-min clarified: "I had just cut myself slightly on glass I smashed in anger." It was a drama created entirely by misinformation.

Why It Went Viral: Why Now?

1. The explosive reach of YouTube entertainment — 'Jjan Han-hyeong Shin Dong-yeop' specializes in behind-the-scenes stories from the entertainment industry of the 1990s–2000s, working simultaneously on the nostalgia of viewers in their 40s and above and the 'vintage K-pop' curiosity of those in their teens and 20s.
2. Linkage with the Park Bom controversy — On the same day (March 3), Park Bom's Instagram targeting of Sandara Park dominated real-time search rankings, forming a frame of '1st-generation K-pop idol internal conflicts,' and the Lee Sang-min plagiarism issue was consumed in the same context.
3. The reexamination of misinformation — As 'misinformation victim' issues grow increasingly sensitive in the digital media environment, a case from 29 years ago gained contemporary relevance.
4. Simultaneous multi-outlet coverage — Chosun Ilbo, Newsis, Sports Donga, Starnews, AjuNews, and Money Today all published articles on March 3, driving up search volume.

Context and Background: The Copyright Vacuum in Early K-Pop

The Korean popular music market of the 1990s had virtually no copyright management infrastructure. The Korean Music Copyright Association (KOMCA), established in 1964, lacked any meaningful ability to monitor overseas works, and there was no system in place to import, compare, or analyze Japanese music directly.

Within this structural vacuum, the boundaries of responsibility were blurry for composers, agencies, and singers alike. As Lee Sang-min himself expressed — "It was a shock when I found out the original song existed" — from a member's perspective, they had simply received a completed song and sung it. The unclear chain of responsibility combined with misinformation to amplify into the rumor of a 'self-harm incident.'

As the Korean Wave globalized after the 2000s, K-pop copyright management was dramatically strengthened. Major agencies like HYBE, SM, JYP, and YG now operate dedicated music legal teams to proactively prevent plagiarism disputes. However, in 2026, with AI-generated music and sampling culture spreading widely, the 'standard for plagiarism' is once again becoming blurred.

Outlook: Why This Issue Persists

• Estimated lifespan: Half a day to 1 day (celebrity anecdote type, strong one-off nature)
• Derivative issues: ① AI music copyright debate reignites ② 1st-generation K-pop idol mental health care issues ③ Media misinformation accountability ④ Discussion on clarifying the legal boundary between remake and plagiarism
• Risk: Lee Sang-min's personal image is actually positively affected (candid clarification). However, renewed discussion of responsibility attributed to the original composer and management agency at the time may emerge.

Checklist: 5 Questions This Incident Poses to the K-Pop Industry

Reference Links

• Lee Sang-min speaks out on Rula 'Cheonsan-yuae' plagiarism controversy 'self-harm incident' — Newsis
• Lee Sang-min hospitalized amid plagiarism controversy… suicide misunderstanding: "I cut myself on glass" — Sports Donga
• 'Shocked' Lee Sang-min, incident amid Japanese song plagiarism controversy… Tak Jae-hoon also in tears — Chosun Ilbo