Baby lawsuit doo, doo, doo, doo

Johnny Only, a New York-based children’s entertainer known as "the Baby Shark Guy" among parents looking for their Motrin, is suing a Korean company he says stole his popular Baby Shark song, according to an article in Thursday’s USA Today.

With the help of a Korean attorney, Mr. Only, whose legal name is Jonathon Wright, is suing in Korean court Korean entertainment company SmartStudy, the owner of alternative and similar-sounding "Baby Shark" creator PinkFong, claiming copyright infringement, according to the article.

Not only is the name of both songs the same but so are the dances and catchy lyrics, as seen in a side-by-side comparison of two videos on YouTube — both videos introducing a shark family, starting with baby and up the family tree, leaving in its wake parents at home in search of noise-canceling headphones.  

In an emailed statement to USA Today, a SmartStudy spokesperson responded to the suit, stating "Pinkfong’s 'Baby Shark' is based on a traditional singalong chant which has passed to public domain. Produced by SmartStudy, we are the producer and publisher, we own and control 100% of Pinkfong Baby Shark."

Mr. Only’s lawyer said the case is now underway at the Seoul Central District Court. The first hearing was in July, and the Korea Copyright Commission will soon review the two songs, he told a reporter.

Yeah, right, doo, doo, doo, according to Mr. Only, who wrote in an email to the newspaper, “On a personal level, it has been a bit weird …Especially because I feel like I am the one who started it."