Most likely one of the most stupid myths of all time in the kpop world that still lives upto today. It has become so popular that even other groups faced the wrath(cough cough BTS, Twice, and Momoland)
And yes, I am going the FeLiNa path. Behold my essays!!!!!!! She is also one of inspirations for this thread.
Now lets look at where this myth originated. It started around 2019 when Kill This Love released. Also known as #LETSHATEONALLPOPULARKPOPARTISTS era. The word overrated was thrown around like balls.
Everyone was trying to find reasons why their favs were better than other people's favs. The era of those Why I unstanned Blackpink and BTS videos from youtubers that probably never stanned them in the first place.
So what was the problem you ask??? Well to many, it seemed like KTL was a copy of D4. Why you ask? Well it's simple!
Cause it had a beatdrop in the chorus.
*Cue the dun dun duns*
Videos started coming out comparing the songs, further fueling the narrative that the two songs were the same or "sound similiar".
It further extended to their other songs such as HYLT(copy of d4 and ktl), As If It Is Your Last and Boombayah(AIIIYL is a copy of Boombayah) etc.
But, how valid are these narratives? Are all BP songs the same? I mean, you can't just say that two songs are simliar just because they both have a beat drop in chorus, that's like saying all songs with full choruses are the same! That's WRONG according to some kpop fans.
So............lets start debunking this myth and explaining why it is not true. (this is going to be long, so I am going to put in a spoiler.
Narratives I will be debunking today(I will be focusing on KTL and D4. The ones that recieve the most heat and the start of this myth)
"Both songs sound the same"
"Both songs have the same structure"
1. "Both songs sound the same"
I.......I.....if you truly believe this I suggest you may want to listen to the songs again. Because I literally can't see how you think they would sound the same. And I am too lazy to list out the sound differences. You should be old enough to figure that out yourself.
2. "Both songs have the same structure"
This narrative means that the members are singing the songs in the same order and they have well the same structure(order of things like chorus, bridge etc.
In the following sentences I will the showing the structure of both songs and list some of the similarities and differences between both.
Also courtesy to genius lyrics(my source for these). (I will also be including who sang/rapped the songs in which order, ie who sang/rapped it first, second etc). Also all=all the members sing it together.
Kill This Love Structure
Verse 1: Rapped By Jennie
Verse 2: Rapped By Lisa
Prechorus: Sung By Jisoo and Rose
Chorus: By All, Lisa, and Jennie.
Verse 3: Rapped By Jennie and Lisa
Prechorus: Sung by Rose and Jisoo
Chorus: By All, Lisa and Jennie
Bridge: Sung by Rose
Outro: By All
Ddu-du-ddu-du Structure
Intro: By All, Rose
Verse 1: Rapped by Jennie, All, Lisa
Prechorus: Sung by Rose, Jisoo and Jennie
Chorus: By Jennie and Jisoo
Interlude: By All
Verse 2: Rapped by Jennie
Prechorus: Sung by Jisoo, Rose, Jennie
Chorus: By Lisa, Rose, Jisoo
Bridge: Sung by Rose and Lisa
Drop: Sung by All, Jisoo, Rose
Outro: By Jennie
Here is my analysis: refer back to the songs structure table if you are confused.
Similarity: Both have intros, verses, prechoruses, choruses, bridges, and outros. (*verses, prechoruses, choruses are some of the essential parts of songs)
Differences: D4 has interlude, and drop. KTL does not. KTL has a verse 3, D4 does not.
Order Blackpink members sang D4 and KTL is also different
As you can see from strucuture of both songs I showed above. The members don't sing/rap in the same order in both songs.
The only similarities is that Jennie raps verse 1 in both songs(In d4 verse 1 also includes Lisa and everyone)
Prechoruses have Rose, and Jisoo in both songs(in d4 they are accompanied by Jennie, in KTL it is just Rose and Jisoo. Also the order they sing in both songs is different).
Chorus 1 in both songs include Jennie(in d4 Jennie sings with Jisoo meanwhile in KTL she sings with everyone and Lisa)
Chorus 2 in both songs include Lisa(in d4 Lisa sings it with Rose and Jisoo, meanwhile in KTL she sings with everyone, and Jennie.
Bridges in both songs include Rose(in D4 she sings with Lisa, in KTL she is solo)
Even the similarities have something against them.
As you can see, there are more differences than similarities in the structure of the songs in the order the members sang/rapped the songs. Thus showing that D4 and KTL do now have the same structure.
So, why does this narrative exist if it is well, not true? Let's admit it, you can't use both songs have beat drop choruses as the proof they are the same cause that means all songs with full choruses sound/are the same.
Well the answer is because it is a way to hate on Blackpink and other groups. Antis use this narrative to hate on groups they don't like to give the idea that a specific group's music isn't creative enough. It is also used to hate on Teddy(I know, a little weird).
In the end, it is one of those phrases in kpop used for malicious intent by kpop fans that clearly did not do their research.
Thank you for reading my tedtalk