Court issues plagiarism verdict on viral Baby Shark song
American composer Jonathan Wright had sought £16,000, alleging Pinkfong's 2015 rendition plagiarised his 2011 song.
The court ruled that Wright's version lacked sufficient originality for copyright protection, as it was based on a folk tune widely circulated in the public domain.
Pinkfong stated the decision affirmed their version was a reimagining of a traditional singalong chant, given a new arrangement and catchy melody.
Pinkfong's 'Baby Shark' has achieved massive popularity, garnering over 16 billion YouTube views and expanding into a lucrative franchise of TV shows, films, and merchandise.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out
4 hours ago
- Time Out
Hong Kong is one of the best cities for Gen Z in Asia, according to Time Out
Every year, Time Out publishes an annual ranking of the greatest cities in the world. We survey over 18,500 locals on the nightlife scene, food, culture, walkability, and even the happiness index of their respective cities, so we get insider tips on the best cities to live and visit right now. But the things that make a city great tend to be different across generations, so this time, we've decided to zoom into what today's twenty-somethings think. By filtering our Best Cities survey to show only responses from those under 30, Time Out has collated a global ranking of cities that Gen Z vibe with – and Hong Kong is on the Asia list! Among the Asia-focused rankings, Hong Kong comes in at the sixth best city for Gen Z. And no wonder, what with our vast array of beloved local flavours and international cuisine from restaurants both fancy and down-to-earth; as well as top-notch bars and nightlife that are consistently ranked among the best in the world. We may be a concrete jungle where the bustle never ceases, but there are also plenty of nature escapes and beautiful hikes to transport you to somewhere serene – perfect for Gen Z with limited attention spans always looking to jump to the next thing of interest. As a compact city, Hong Kong is a remarkably walkable destination with a fantastic public transport system, so whether you prefer pounding the pavement or getting around with your feet barely needing to touch the ground, our city makes it easy to explore. Our movie industry has produced globally beloved cult classic films over the decades, and our government is working its way to more legal recognition and protection of LGBTQIA+ communities. In short, Hong Kong is a vibrant, buzzing city with mouthwatering food on every corner, a historically Chinese soul with a globalised outlook, the great outdoors easily accessible from the urban centre, and a culturally distinct personality that is all our own – so why wouldn't Gen Z love being here? However, we clearly have room for improvement as two cities from Thailand, two cities from mainland China, and one city in Japan ranks ahead of us in the Asia list. In fact, the highest-rated Asian city has also topped the global list as the world's best city for Gen Z, with the honour going to the Thai capital of Bangkok. This is followed by Melbourne, Cape Town, New York City, and Copenhagen making up the top five, all lively cities with pockets of unexpected chill and their own distinctive vibes – or should we say, aura? See below for the list of best cities for Gen Z in both Asia and the world. Asia's Best Cities for Gen Z: Bangkok, Thailand Shanghai, China Beijing, China Tokyo, Japan Chiang Mai, Thailand Hong Kong Hanoi, Vietnam Singapore Seoul, South Korea Osaka, Japan The World's Best Cities for Gen Z, 2025: Bangkok, Thailand Melbourne, Australia Cape Town, South Africa New York City, United States Copenhagen, Denmark Barcelona, Spain Edinburgh, United Kingdom Mexico City, Mexico London, United Kingdom Shanghai, China Hong Kong ranks 8th place in the global Smart City Index 2025
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Hundreds turn out to catch a glimpse of super rich mystery heiress LanLan Yang, 23, at court after she wrecked her $1.5million Rolls-Royce - but she disappoints them all
Hundreds of fans have queued up at court to see the elusive wealthy Chinese heiress whose $1.5million Tiffany blue Rolls-Royce was wrecked in a head-on crash. But designer-clad LanLan Yang, 23, disappointed her huge new fan club by being a no-show in person at court and appearing by video link instead. Yang was due to face Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court but instead popped up on a screen wearing one of her trademark haute couture hats from her lawyer's office. Yang was allegedly behind the wheel of her custom Rolls-Royce Cullinan in the early hours of July 27 when she smashed into a van driven by George Plassaras, the chauffeur for radio king Kyle Sandilands, who was not in the car. Plassaras was taken to hospital with serious injuries, while Yang was charged by NSW Police with causing bodily harm by misconduct and refusing or failing to submit to a breath test. Mysterious Yang has since gone viral in Australia and China over her extraordinary designer wardrobe and apparent wealth. Her fame and mystique grew after the Daily Mail revealed she owned two Rolls-Royces and lived in a luxury apartment in Sydney 's eastern suburbs. Masses of people filled the courtroom and spilled into the foyer as Yang briefly appeared via videolink wearing a chic designer bucket hat and tailored suit. Her lawyer, Mr Yu, said she was not in a position to enter a plea because 'the police have indicated there will be additional charges'. The case was adjourned to September 26, with Yang's bail to continue. The viral case has sparked interest among Chinese Australians who are curious about who she is and the source of her lavish wealth, which has so far remained a mystery. 'I think a lot of Chinese people overseas or in mainland [China] have mixed feelings and are ambivalent [about LanLan],' one new LanLan fan told the Daily Mail. 'Hate, love, gossipy- it's very rare to see, or have the opportunity to see, someone in person who is ultra wealthy and has power. 'You don't see 23-year-olds who can drive two Rolls-Royces.' Her on-screen court appearance comes days after the Daily Mail confronted Yang in Double Bay where she was seen withdrawing wads of $50 bills at a bank ATM. She kept her head down and climbed into a chauffeur-driven minivan, a stark contrast to the two luxury vehicles she is known to own. In recent days, speculation has taken off in China, where she has become the subject of wild, inaccurate claims that had gone viral on Chinese platforms Douyin and Weibo, plus mainstream Chinese media reports. A series of widely-viewed Chinese social media posts falsely claimed Yang paid an $80million bond for bail from Waverley Local Court in Sydney's eastern suburbs. They also claimed, without naming a source or providing any corroboration, that authorities found she had $270 billion sitting in a local bank account when she was arrested. The first claim about the bond is demonstrably false - a court spokesperson told the Daily Mail there was 'no monetary condition stipulated by police' as part of her bail agreement. The bank balance claim is impossible to confirm, but if true, it would make the relatively unknown figure close to the world's richest person. Fevered Chinese social media speculation also claimed she uses the English name 'Wendy' and that she is a former University of NSW student whose fortune stems from the iron ore trade. Some users even claim her minder - seen when the Daily Mail confronted Yang outside Rose Bay Police Station last month - has the rank of lieutenant colonel with the Beijing police special duty unit. This could not be confirmed and is likely false. The crash left Plassaras with a broken spine, ribs, hips and femurs, a ruptured spleen and diaphragm, and a torn-open abdomen. The wealthy heiress seen withdrawing cash on Wednesday Sandilands described his chauffeur Mr Plassaras as the 'greatest employee ever'. 'What did [he] say when he was taken away in the ambulance? He asked for his mobile phone so he could do what?' he said. 'This is a guy at 4.30 in the morning after he has been cut out of his vehicle, he's been trapped in his van for an hour, this poor bloke.' The Daily Mail understands he is in a stable condition in hospital. Meanwhile, neighbours at Yang's elite rental block, which caters to 'discerning clientele,' describe her as polite but rarely seen. They say she occupies the building's prized penthouse and decorates her car with ultra-exclusive Labubu toys. She also owns a second unregistered white Rolls-Royce Ghost Convertible worth up to $800,000, which sits unused in her Vaucluse penthouse garage. The building's car lift can only take 3,000kg, forcing her to park her heavier Cullinan SUV in the street. She also owns a second unregistered white Rolls-Royce Ghost Convertible worth up to $800,000, which sits unused in her Vaucluse penthouse garage CCTV footage of the crash appears to show Yang's SUV veering into oncoming traffic before the head-on impact. Yang is on conditional bail ahead of her next court appearance. Her bail conditions ban her from driving, require her to remain in her penthouse between 8pm and 6am, and to report to police three times a week.
The Review Geek
12 hours ago
- The Review Geek
Let's Go Karaoke! – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review
Episode 4 Let's Go Karaoke! episode 4 starts going way back in time. When Kyouji Narita was born, his mother gave him the name Kyoji and asked his grandfather to submit his birth certificate. However, the man stained the paper with cigarette ashes and had to write the name again. As he was desperate to fix it, he ended up writing it the wrong way. Years later, in the 2000s, Kyouji worked at a karaoke bar. During the night shift, he knocked and entered a room with two yakuza, and one of them got angry at him. So, he threw his drink at Narita's face. Still, the boy only apologized and went to another room to deliver more food, completely unfazed. Soon, he got a call to come back to the same room and saw that they were all yakuza as well, and one of them had rashes. The gangster was allergic to alcohol, which got mixed into their chicken after Narita was bathed in it. After he explained that, the two yakuza groups clashed. While they fought, Narita was so dazed that he ended up suggesting they resolve their issues with a karaoke battle as a joke. Even though Kyouji didn't participate in the fight, his boss let him go after the incident. So, the yakuza boss, who was nice to Narita, hires him. Kyouji always knew the gears of his life would go berserk at some point, and that's how it started. Now, the anime takes us back to Satomi, seeing the aftermath of a car crash. The boy walks away, almost crying, and remembers Kyouji's competition. Then, he runs to the place they hold it every year in the hopes of finding him. However, when he gets there, he can't find him anywhere. He shouts at all the gangsters, and their boss answers Narita's already in hell. The boy can't believe what he's hearing and curses at them, saying they should be in hell too. Before he leaves, the boss demands that he go back and sing something, after barging into the place and being rude. Thus, Satomi chooses one and realizes that he doesn't hate Kyouji. He sings with the hand on his throat, but still does it with all his might. As the song goes, he remembers his moments with Kyouji, and all the yakuza members see his incredible skills. Meanwhile, his classmate Wada prepares for the school festival and thinks about how despicable Satomi is for running away. However, he doesn't know the boy is in an important battle right now. Even though Satomi advised Kyouji not to sing Crimson, the man would always put it on during their karaoke sessions. So, he's sure Narita would choose the same song for the competition. To honor him, he did the same. When the music ends, everyone claps and celebrates with the boy, praising him. The yakuza boss even cries after listening to his heartfelt presentation. However, a surprising person also applauds his efforts. It's Kyouji himself. The boy can't believe his eyes, and the man explained it was a joke and that the boss was in on it. Narita expected the man he had attacked the day before would go after him, so he was prepared for the car crash. He couldn't miss the karaoke competition, so he didn't stay on the scene and ran to the bar. After that, the boy cries, and everyone laughs. That's the last time Satomi sees Kyouji. Years later, Satomi goes to the same karaoke place where he taught Narita with his classmates to celebrate their graduation. They use the same room as well, and he finds Narita's card that he left there. Touched by the situation, the boy takes it home with him. As he's about to go on a flight to Tokyo to start college, he sees the card again and decides to keep it as a memento. Then, again, Narita sits by his side and surprises him. The boy thought he was dead, but the gangster was only avoiding him for a while and letting him enjoy his high school years. Now, he offers him a new card and says he's also going to Tokyo on a business trip. He reveals that he ended up being the worst singer and used the boy's strategy of telling the boss something they liked as if they hated it. So, now, he has the name 'Satomi' tattooed on his arm. To wrap up the episode, he invites the boy to karaoke one more time once they arrive in Tokyo. The Episode Review Let's Go Karaoke! concludes its main story in a nice note. It's an emotional episode as we learn more about Narita and finally see Satomi singing. Having him overcome his fears by participating in the yakuza competition is a great curveball that makes even more sense than being part of the choir festival. It also serves to show how he grew to care about Kyouji. Narita's not being dead was quite predictable, but it doesn't affect the scene. What's important is Satomi's feelings for him, not whether the man died or not. It shows a sweet and innocent side of the boy, despite his harsh and nonchalant façade. Seeing Satomi singing Crimson is the highlight of the show. Not only are his thoughts beautiful, but the colours representing him and the song are, too. The scene also makes it clear that his voice is changing, but he can still sing. You can hear the cracks in his voice as he tries to hide and fight them with his skill. It's a great presentation. Let's Go Karaoke! shines when it tries something new with its visual representation, but its dialogue and plot hardly have the same impact. So it's a great achievement that this episode combined the anime's strengths and developed Satomi into a better character. Let's hope the last episode does the same and gives viewers a fitting conclusion. Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
