Reality Show's Popularity Plagued by Illegal Piracy
The popular dating reality show 'I am SOLO' is once again in the spotlight, this time for reasons outside of the broadcast itself.
The production company, Chonjang Entertainment, has announced strong legal action against some YouTubers for unauthorized use of program footage and infringement of the cast's portrait rights.
Videos from related programs such as 'I am SOLO,' 'I am SOLO: Love Continues,' 'Bickering Trip,' and 'Chonjang Pub' have been illegally captured, downloaded, and uploaded to YouTube, with frequent instances of revenue generation through views.
The production company stated, "The market value has been significantly damaged due to indiscriminate copyright infringement," and "We are proceeding with lawsuits against YouTubers who have used the content without permission."
34.9 Million Views… ‘The Normalization of Unauthorized Duplication’
According to Chonjang Entertainment, one YouTube channel illegally used 'I am SOLO' footage and achieved a staggering 34.9 million views.
In another case, a plastic surgery clinic captured broadcast footage and posted videos suggesting how 출연자's faces could be improved, severely infringing on portrait rights and reputation.
The total views for related videos on this plastic surgery clinic's channel reached 7.32 million. Some YouTubers evaluated the 출연자's impressions or mentioned their private lives, using provocative phrases like, "Dating losers must watch this."
One channel with 370,000 subscribers posted 16 videos since March of this year, recording 2.349 million views.
“Not Criticism, but Infringement” — Copyright Law's Warning
Chonjang Entertainment clearly drew a line regarding the 'fair use' clause (Copyright Act Articles 28 and 35) often cited by these YouTubers.
The production company emphasized that entertainment program reviews do not fall under the purpose of 'reporting, criticism, education, or research,' and that evaluating the 출연자's appearance, personality, or private life is not criticism of the work itself but an act of infringing on personal character.
Nam Gyu-hong PD, the creator of 'I am SOLO,' also explained, "Evaluations of 출연자's personalities or appearances are not criticisms of the work but evaluations of personal private areas, which are not legally protected."
Legal Action: The Last Resort for 출연자 Protection
After the program aired, some 출연자 complained of mental distress due to appearance evaluations and personal attacks in the comments.
The production company stated, "In a reality where 출연자's portrait rights have been destroyed to a dangerous extent, we have determined that the only solution is to appeal to the law."
Accordingly, Chonjang Entertainment is proceeding with lawsuits against all YouTubers who produce videos involving unauthorized duplication, portrait rights infringement, and defamation, and plans to continuously respond to similar cases in the future.
Copyright Infringement: The Punishment is Never Light
Under current copyright law, copyright infringement can result in a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
In civil lawsuits, damages of up to 10 million won per work can be claimed instead of the actual damages, and up to 50 million won for intentional infringement for commercial purposes.
This action by 'I am SOLO' is not just a warning but is seen as the beginning of a full-scale legal war to protect copyright and the 출연자's personality rights.
As the online content market grows, it is becoming increasingly important to clearly recognize the boundary between 'review' and 'theft.'
Source :https://blog.naver.com/plug_and_play_life/224058035161
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