IU's plagiarism accuser evades damages trial

The accuser who claimed singer and actress IU committed copyright infringement has failed to appear in court for the damages trial, maintaining a non-responsive stance.

On the 24th, the Seoul Central District Court’s Civil Division 29 held the first hearing of IU’s damages claim against the alleged accuser, referred to as A. Although IU’s legal representatives were present, A did not attend the hearing. Since the lawsuit was filed, A has not appointed legal representation and has remained unresponsive.

IU’s legal team requested, “Although the trial is proceeding via public notice, we ask to specify the defendant, who is known to reside in the United States, more clearly and to set a new date for the trial to ensure the effectiveness of the lawsuit.” Public notice is a procedure where, if the address of a party is unknown or delivery is impossible, the documents are kept at the court and the reason is posted on the bulletin board, deeming the content delivered to the party.

The court accepted IU’s request to proceed with the legal procedures in the United States for A and instructed IU’s side to apply for a new trial date once the procedures are underway.

In September 2023, IU’s side filed a damages lawsuit against A, claiming around 30 million KRW, despite not having full details of A’s identity. They attempted to secure A’s personal information through investigation agencies. IU was accused by A in May 2023 of infringing on the copyrights of six songs, including “Good Day,” “The Red Shoes,” “BBIBBI,” and “Celebrity.” However, IU was only involved in the composition of “Celebrity” and produced “BBIBBI,” leading to speculation that the accusations were intended to tarnish her reputation.

Following an investigation, the police dismissed A’s accusations in August 2023, prompting EDAM Entertainment to file a damages lawsuit against A.