Viral Battles & Fighter Jet Lawsuits

From children’s songs to blockbuster sequels, IP lawsuits are rewriting the rules of who owns what — and when. South Korea’s Supreme Court has sided with Baby Shark creators in a high-profile copyright clash, while Paramount has fired back at a screenwriter’s family over Top Gun: Maverick. Both cases explore how legacy rights, fair use, and creative transformation are being tested across borders and industries.

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ChaseLawyers Newsletter
August 19, 2025

Hi there,

This edition dives into two stories that showcase just how global and genre-crossing copyright litigation has become.

In South Korea, the creators of Baby Shark secured a Supreme Court victory in a years-long dispute with a children's song producer, marking a big moment for viral content creators facing accusations of plagiarism.

Across the Pacific, Paramount is now counter-suing the family of the author behind the original Top Gun article, defending Top Gun: Maverick as a new and independently developed work.

Baby Shark Copyright Fight Ends in Favor of Pinkfong

South Korea’s Supreme Court has ruled that Baby Shark — the wildly popular children’s song and video — did not infringe the copyright of an older tune called Three Bears. The long-running dispute involved claims by children’s content producer Kim Eun-young, who argued that Baby Shark borrowed elements of her song’s melody and lyrics.

However, the court determined the similarities were too vague to qualify as infringement. The ruling ends a five-year legal battle and affirms that Baby Shark, created by SmartStudy’s Pinkfong, is protected as an original work.

Top Gun: Maverick Lawsuit Heats Up as Paramount Strikes Back

Paramount Pictures has responded to a copyright suit over Top Gun: Maverick by filing a countersuit against the family of Ehud Yonay — the journalist whose 1983 article inspired the original Top Gun film. Yonay’s heirs allege that the studio failed to obtain the rights to use the original article for the sequel.

In its filing, Paramount argues that Maverick is a “new and original” work that tells a fresh story independent of Yonay’s article. The studio is seeking a declaratory judgment confirming its legal rights, as well as dismissal of the family’s claims.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

South Korea’s top court says viral hit ‘Baby Shark’ didn’t infringe copyright

A South Korean court ruled Baby Shark didn’t infringe an older children's song, rejecting claims of copyright theft. The case shows how courts evaluate originality in viral content.

Paramount Sues ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Writer’s Cousin, Who Claimed He Authored Key Action Scenes

Facing a copyright claim from the original Top Gun article’s heirs, Paramount has filed a countersuit defending the sequel as an independent story.

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