Copycat controversy: New Japanese girl group to change name, logo after Everglow uproar
Online allegations surfaced on August 10, pointing out that the rookie Japanese group, also called everglow in lowercase, shared not only the same name but also a similar logo design with the South Korean group.
'We sincerely apologise for the discomfort and inconvenience caused by the name and logo design used by our group,' the agency Sova and the group's producer Soichi Yoshimura said in an official statement carried today on South Korean entertainment news portal Soompi.
Yoshimura said the name 'everglow' was something he had personally used for over a decade.
He added that the logo's 'infinity' motif for the 'ever' portion unintentionally resembled another design, stressing there was never any intention to copy.
He admitted the controversy was due to 'insufficient prior research and lack of consideration' for the existing K-pop group and its fans.
Sova said it had 'immediately ceased using the problematic name and logo' and was working on replacements, pledging to rebuild trust with supporters.
Everglow, a six-girl Korean group managed by Yuehua Entertainment, debuted in 2019 and is known for hits like Dun Dun and Pirate.
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