Netizens are convinced that it was intentional.
HYBE is facing major backlash online over the latest release by their new girl group, TUIDE.
TUIDE recently teased their debut with a music video and performance of “GRLS,” a track from their upcoming mini album TUNE & PLAY, set to be released on August 24, KST.
After the release, a producer named Ricky Luna, who has worked with BABYMONSTER on multiple tracks, posted an Instagram story, raising doubts about how “Meet My GRLS” was sonically and conceptually similar to a demo he had created back in April.
This is the third time this has happened. I made this demo in April 2026, and a song released today sounds very similar in the chorus and concept. I don’t know if it’s coincidence, but I’m starting to think my demos may be getting leaked. I’m sharing both so you can listen and tell me what you think.
— Ricky Luna
The story quickly went viral, with netizens accusing HYBE of ripping off producers.
Hybe is never beating the allegations pic.twitter.com/HHtk6mexax
— َ (@karinairline) August 8, 2026
wasn’t this the guy working for babymonster before…. hybe is so shameless omg https://t.co/UsRENc3Cto
— ᵕ̈ (@pinksbabymon) August 8, 2026
Hybe never beating the plagiarism and stealing allegations. https://t.co/TXfgtjaj2s
— ri 𑁍 (@tokkiga) August 8, 2026
hybe repeated offender idk why they keep doing this shit when they can just work with the producer himself https://t.co/1gvYt4Lx8P
— *** (@gomhoxho) August 8, 2026
However, Ricky Luna later posted a clarification, stating that he wasn’t claiming that the song was plagiarized. He simply expressed a concern about the possibility of his demos being leaked, and wanted the opinion of his industry peers.
Fans also defended TUIDE, pointing out that their songs were probably finalized last year, way before Ricky Luna’s demo was even created.
The origination of GRLS, along with the rest of TUNE & PLAY has been traced back to 2025 when we first learned about the groups 6 member lineup.
It’s unfair towards the producers who made GRLS to accuse them of stealing when they worked hard on this song. https://t.co/YvIBgNDzbs
— TUIDE NEWS ༄.° (@NewsTuide) August 8, 2026
his demo was created end of april this year, tuide members attending practices were already being leaked in 2025??? the only similarity is the songs talking about “girls”, but we know that tuide’s debut was already being practiced in 2025… MONTHS before the creation of his demo. https://t.co/hQJNXlyNQb
— 𑣲eli || seeing aespa (@che2ning) August 8, 2026
much respect to the producer but this demo is from april 22, 2026. tuide’s debut song was prolly already finalized by then, im pretty sure if a group is debuting on august, they won’t prepare their debut song 4 month before it, so something doesn’t sit right with this whole thing https://t.co/QE2NFsNtxW
— 𝗇𝖺 | tuned for tuide (@zyopjm) August 8, 2026
Some also felt that the two tracks were not similar to begin with, the only commonality between them— the word “girls” and a house beat— being too generic to be considered any kind of plagiarism.
Meanwhile, TUIDE has also received pushback for allegedly copying NewJeans.
HYBE Girl Group Faces Accusations Of Blatantly Copying NewJeans…Again