Paris animation school Gobelins says it has asked its lawyers to look at action against Korean label Mystic Story, after a teaser for girl group Billlie appeared to reproduce the look of Niccolò, a 2025 graduation short by six Gobelins students. The school called it a clear case of plagiarism.
The teaser, released on April 23 for the B-side "$ECRET No More", was quickly flagged by fans as generative AI output resembling the film. Mystic Story's chief executive first defended AI use with artistic intent, then promised to avoid unnecessary AI after pressure from fans; on April 25 the label said an internal check found no plagiarism.
Co-director David Florian told Cartoon Brew he learned of it from friends' screenshots and that one scene made the resemblance obvious. He criticised how easily AI systems take artists' work, how hard platforms make opting out, and the lack of any duty to disclose AI use, and said he was surprised and pleased the school took a public stand.
Because Gobelins is credited as producer of its student films, it can pursue claims for its alumni directly. Cartoon Brew notes a suit would be an early cross-border test of how courts handle AI output that copies a recognisable style.
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