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Bird Marella Wins Copyright-Infringement Lawsuit for International K-Pop Sensation BTS and Record Label HYBE

April 5, 2022
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Home Arrow right News & Insights Arrow right Bird Marella Wins Copyright-Infringement Lawsuit for International K-Pop Sensation BTS and Record Label HYBE

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Bird Marella attorneys Ekwan Rhow, Timothy Yoo, and Ray Seilie won a judgment in favor of their clients BTS and HYBE Corporation (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) in a copyright-infringement lawsuit brought against them (and their co-defendant CJ E&M) in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The plaintiff alleged that the idea for CJ E&M and HYBE’s reality show I-Land was stolen from a written treatment for his original television series idea, “Island Hip-Hopping.”

The Honorable Dolly M. Gee agreed with Bird Marella’s argument that the protected elements (if any) of the plaintiff’s treatment lacked sufficient similarity with the elements of the I-LAND show, and concluded that the plaintiff’s claims must fail as a matter of law.

On March 28, 2022, Judge Gee granted Bird Marella’s motion to dismiss—in a rare occurrence, without leave to amend—and dismissed the entire case with prejudice. Judge Gee entered judgment in favor of Bird Marella’s clients and CJ E&M on the firm’s first and only motion to dismiss.

BTS and HYBE founder and Chairman, Bang Si-Hyuk, were recently featured in the April 2022 issue of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies.

Click here to read more on Bird Marella’s long history of successful representations in high-profile intellectual property disputes. Click here to learn more about how Bird Marella serves entertainment clients from Hollywood to Seoul.

Associated Attorneys

Ekwan E. Rhow

Partner

Timothy B. Yoo

Partner

Ray Seilie

Ray S. Seilie

Of Counsel

View More Associated Attorneys.
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