Court Dismisses Copyright Suit Against BTS
A federal judge in Virginia threw out a songwriter's claim that the K-pop group's work infringed her unpublished material.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Pop
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit against BTS, Big Hit Music, HYBE, and HYBE America on October 22. Melissa Mace had filed the suit on August 25 alleging the defendants used her unpublished work without authorization, but she did not name any specific infringing songs in her complaint.
Why it matters
The ruling removes one legal challenge facing the group and its label, though a separate copyright suit over the song "Swim" remains pending in California. Copyright claims that do not identify specific works in the complaint face a high bar for proceeding, which shapes how similar disputes over pop music are pursued.
The case was dismissed after two rounds of filings, with the initial complaint dismissed September 1 and an amended complaint filed October 8 before the final dismissal on October 22. Whether the plaintiff will pursue an appeal has not been reported.
The players
BTS
BTS is a South Korean boy band managed by Big Hit Music and one of the best-selling pop acts in the world.
Big Hit Music
Big Hit Music is the South Korean entertainment label that manages BTS and is a subsidiary of HYBE.
Melissa Mace
Melissa Mace is the plaintiff who brought the copyright infringement suit against BTS and its label.
The details
Mace alleged BTS and HYBE used her unpublished work and filed the suit without naming any infringing songs. Judge Leonie Brinkema initially dismissed the complaint, and the court later dismissed the amended complaint, ending the case in favor of the defendants.
Timeline
August 25: Mace filed the copyright infringement lawsuit against BTS, Big Hit Music, HYBE, and HYBE America.
September 1: Judge Leonie Brinkema initially dismissed Mace's complaint.
October 8: Mace filed an amended complaint.
October 22: The court dismissed the case in favor of BTS.
Industry Dynamics
Copyright disputes in the K-pop and pop industries increasingly involve international labels and U.S. courts, and this dismissal illustrates how pleading requirements can end suits before reaching the merits. The parallel California lawsuit over the song "Swim" will test whether plaintiffs can establish substantial similarity in a more specific claim.
The dismissal means BTS's music remains available without the cloud of this particular lawsuit hanging over its catalog. Fans and listeners are not directly affected in how they access the group's releases, though the separate Swim suit continues.
The takeaway
Pleading specificity matters in copyright cases, and a complaint that does not identify the allegedly infringing works may be dismissed before the substance of the claim is ever tested.
Further reading
Explore more Pop coverage for context on the K-pop and pop music industry.
