Who is Ipsitaa Khullar? K-pop fans call out the Indian artist for allegedly plagiarising BTS, BLACKPINK, IVE, & more

Indian singer and model Ipsitaa Khullar has recently found herself at the center of controversy after K-pop fans accused her of plagiarizing scenes and set designs from popular K-pop music videos in her latest release, Kadar Na Jaane. The music video, which was released on September 11, 2024, has garnered over 4.5 million views on YouTube at the time of writing.

Ipsitaa Khullar, born on January 10, 1998, in Chandigarh, India, has been passionate about singing since childhood. She first gained significant attention when she made her debut in 2020, appearing in Indian rapper Honey Singh’s music video First Kiss.

The latest music video has drawn significant attention from fans who noted striking similarities between Khullar's visuals and sets and those of well-known K-pop acts. According to fans, scenes from Ipsitaa's music video bear strong resemblances to visuals of not one but many K-pop songs.

Some of the references included are from IVE’s I AM, BLACKPINK’s Kill This Love and Pink Venom, aespa’s Next Level, TWICE’s Set Me Free, Taeyeon’s INVU, and a still shot featuring Taehyung from the global hit Fake Love of BTS.

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Ipsitaa Khullar is also a behavioral scientist

At 26, Ipsitaa's academic background is as notable as her artistic pursuits. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, where she double-majored in economics and psychology. She has completed her master's degree in behavioral science from the London School of Economics. Her Instagram bio describes her as a behavioral scientist.

Before officially entering the music scene, she frequently shared dance and music performances on social media, showcasing her diverse talents. In addition to singing, the Indian artist is a trained Kathak dancer and has been featured in several music videos. In an interview with Indulge Express at the time of her debut, she shared that she had been training in Kathak for more than 17 years.

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Ipsitaa Khullar acknowledged being inspired by K-pop in description of MV of her latest track

In the description of her music video Kadar Na Jaane on YouTube, Ipsitaa Khullar mentioned,

"I’m back with a brand new music video to sweep you off your feet and take you on a visual adventure like no other. This one's inspired by KPop music videos by some extraordinary female groups and artists. We wanted to recreate and play with the worlds they've built, introducing them to India for the first time. This one is sure to make you groove."

Despite this acknowledgement of K-pop influence, many netizens expressed disappointment, arguing that the video crossed the line from inspiration to direct copying. Fans pointed out that scenes in her video appeared to mirror not just the aesthetic but exact sets from K-pop videos, leading to widespread accusations of plagiarism.

These comparisons have sparked accusations of plagiarism across social media platforms, with K-pop enthusiasts expressing their frustration and disappointment over the apparent copying.

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Despite her multifaceted talents, Ipsitaa now faces mounting criticism as fans await a more detailed response to the allegations surrounding her music video.