Summary of this article
K-pop band Billie's agency Mystic Story has released a statement on plagiarism allegations
The band released an animated video titled 'cartography of the unconscious', which received criticism.
It was criticised for alleged use of AI (artificial intelligence), and some even accused it of being similar to the 2025 French animated student short film Niccolo.
Mystic Story has officially reacted to the allegations of plagiarism in Billlie's 'cartography of the unconscious' comeback film.
On April 23 KST, K-pop girl group Billlie released the film for their upcoming 1st full album, 'the collective soul and unconscious: chapter two'.
The art film featured animation-style narration of European dark fantasies from the 1990s, with the song of Billlie's upcoming B-side track "$ECRET no more".
The video received criticism for alleged use of AI (artificial intelligence), and some even accused it of being similar to the 2025 French animated student short film Niccolo. The co-director, David Florian, reacted by commenting, "So gross. This band used our film 'Niccolò' to create an AI slop music video," reported allkpop.
Mystic Story reacts to plagiarism allegations
On April 25, Mystic Story issued a statement, announcing that the company will no longer use generative artificial intelligence in any way in the production process of Billie's work.
An excerpt of their statement reads: “We have confirmed that the video was produced as an original creative work […] We have verified that there was no intentional appropriation of other works, nor any violation of copyright or creative ethics […] We will not use AI in any form that could compromise the quality or completeness of our work.”
Here's Billlie’s “cartography of the unconscious” video.
The company's CEO Jungsu Han, in a statement, said, "I have absolutely no intention of using the output of AI as a mere means of cutting costs, or as a way of pushing artists aside and producing work in some cheap and easy manner... That said, when an artist working with us decides that, for a work we are building together, using AI, or even introducing something far more unfamiliar than that, carries artistic meaning and is something necessary to complete the work, I will continue to respect that artist's perspective..."
