IU's Agency Responds To Plagiarism Allegations + Announces Strong Legal Action Against Malicious Rumors

IU’s agency EDAM Entertainment has released a statement regarding malicious rumors.

On May 10, Maeil Kyungjae reported than Seoul Seongbuk Police Station revealed that a non-celebrity (referred to as “A”) filed a complaint against singer IU on the violation of copyright law. According to the reports, the police is currently reviewing the complaint while also considering various methods to carry out the investigation including the consultation of external personnel.

The filed complaint was reportedly made against a total of six of IU’s songs including “The red shoes,” “Good Day,” “BBIBBI,” “pitiful,” “Boo,” and “Celebrity.” IU participated in writing the lyrics for “Celebrity” and participated in producing “BBIBBI.”

In response to the reports, EDAM Entertainment released the following statement:

Hello. This is EDAM Entertainment.

We express our gratitude to fans who always send unsparing support and love to our agency EDAM Entertainment’s artist IU.

We are aware of the post alleging plagiarism based on false information on online communities, social media, YouTube, and more as well as the fact that printouts containing groundless rumors were distributed in certain locations. In regards to this, we confirmed that from several months prior, malicious posts of a severe degree were posted numerous times on many online communities, Naver Cafe, and more.

From the moment the relevant allegations were raised, we filed a complaint to an investigative agency through the law firm Shin Won based on evidence we collected of plagiarism allegations, espionage rumors, sexual harassment and defamation, circulation of false information, invasion of privacy, and more. While awaiting [results regarding] the progress made by the investigation agency, we came across reports through the press today that [IU] had been reported to the police for plagiarism allegations.

In regards to this, we currently have not officially received contact from the investigation agency, so we first became aware of the fact that a complaint [was filed] through a report. We have not checked the contents of the official complaint mentioned by the press, and we inform you that we are in the process of figuring out that information.

Furthermore, those who constantly circulate distorted and false information are attacking not only the artist but also the agency staff as well as their workplace and acquaintances with mental and verbal violence, causing great damage. We are plenty aware of the seriousness of the issue, and we determined that we could no long sit idly or overlook this issue.

Defaming an artist’s reputation through malicious information by presenting groundless and false information as if they are true is clearly illegal, and we emphasize that this is subject to strong legal action. The agency plans on taking strong legal action without leniency against criminal acts of repeatedly uploading malicious posts of defamation and attacking [the artist’s] character or reproducing false information.

Furthermore, legal action and collection of malicious posts about the agency’s artists are occurring on a regular basis. In accordance with the investigative agency’s request, it is difficult to reveal the detailed process and progress, but we have been collecting additional data and mass filing complaints about malicious posts for several months. so we once again inform you that we are aware of the seriousness more than ever before.

We will track down the publishers of the malicious posts until the end and do our best to protect the rights of our agency’s artists. And in this process, we emphasize that we will respond even more strongly without leniency or settlement. Additionally, we inform that we will not stop our strong response to crime such as thoughtless accusations and harm from third parties based on false information.

Furthermore, we plan on continuing our strong legal response through actively collecting and supplementing evidence regarding malicious posts and personally monitoring going forward. Accordingly, we ask that fans report through our official email in the case that evident criminal acts are discovered including the spread of malicious posts and rumors that infringe of the artist’s personal rights.

Finally, we EDAM Entertainment will work hard so that the path that IU and UAENA [IU’s official fan club] will walk together will shine for a long time with perfect happiness. Thank you.

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Photo Credit: EDAM Entertainment