Is “Who Made Me a Princess” Plagiarism? Exploring Accusations and Evidence

The Korean web novel and manhwa Who Made Me a Princess (WMMAP) has become a standout hit in the romance fantasy genre. With tens of millions of readers and high ratings, it has also attracted controversy—namely, accusations that it plagiarised another series: Daughter of the Emperor (DOTE) by Yunsul. Let’s examine the background, accusations, legal framework, fan perspectives, and finally draw a reasoned conclusion—written in a friendly, easy‐going style.

Background Snapshot

WMMAP is a Korean web novel turned into a manhwa/webtoon, widely beloved for its princess‐in‐a‐royal‐court fantasy, complex father‐daughter dynamic, and emotional storytelling. Its success put it under the spotlight—and when fans noticed it bore strong resemblance to DOTE, the dialogue about potential plagiarism exploded.

The Plagiarism Accusations

The key points of the accusations include:

• Both stories share a foundational premise: a daughter in a royal or noble setting, raised without her father’s affection, working to win his favour (or survive).

• Yunsul, author of DOTE, publicly claimed that her copyright had been infringed, pointing to similarities in plot structure, character roles, and major episodes.

• In online forums, some readers voiced discomfort:

  “The story’s so similar … I didn’t want to keep reading.” Reddit

• Stories circulated that Plutus (author of WMMAP) had read DOTE before writing WMMAP and later made revisions—but clear verifiable evidence for such admission is not widely available.

Legal and Copyright Context

From the legal perspective in South Korea:

• Korean copyright law makes a clear distinction: ideas, themes or general tropes are not protected, but the specific expression of those ideas (dialogue, structure, layout) may be protected.

• Thus, even if two works share a similar premise, that alone does not guarantee a finding of copyright infringement. One must show substantial similarity in protected expression.

• As of public information, there is no ruling that WMMAP legally plagiarised DOTE. The absence of a court decision finding infringement means legally the work is not classified as plagiarised.

• There is no widely reported settlement or official statement where WMMAP’s creators acknowledged plagiarising DOTE.

Fan & Community Views

Among readers:

• Some consider the overlap simply a result of shared genre tropes—for example, “daughter of a tyrant father”, “reincarnation/isekai princess”, “royal court intrigue”—which are common in the romantic fantasy category.

• Others feel the similarities between WMMAP and DOTE go beyond mere tropes, pointing to analogous character roles, arcs and narrative beats.

  “Even if it isn’t direct plagiarism, it’s clear that WMMAP took some heavy inspiration from DOTE plot, setting and character wise.” Reddit

• Yet, many concede that differences exist: character development, tone, art style (for the manhwa), and subsequent narrative divergence lessen the case of outright copying in the reader’s view.

Conclusion

Based on the evidence available:

• It is true that WMMAP and DOTE share a high degree of similarity in their fundamental setup and certain narrative patterns.

• Legally speaking—at least in Korea—sharing a similar premise or tropes is not sufficient to establish copyright infringement. The law requires similarity in the protected expression, not just the idea.

• Since no public court decision has found WMMAP guilty of plagiarism, the correct characterization is: ongoing controversy over inspiration/borrowing, rather than proven plagiarism.

• For readers, this means you can enjoy WMMAP while being aware that it draws on a common template—one that DOTE may have popularised. If you’re curious, reading DOTE afterwards can provide an interesting comparison.

In short: At this time, there is no legally binding proof that Who Made Me a Princess plagiarised Daughter of the Emperor—but the discussion around their similarities remains very much alive.