FIFTY FIFTY's 'Cupid' Copyright Dispute Expected to Drag On

The ongoing legal battle surrounding FIFTY FIFTY's hit song 'Cupid' is set to continue. On May 8, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 62, presided over by Judge Lee Hyun-seok, ruled against Attract, the agency representing FIFTY FIFTY, in a copyright confirmation lawsuit against The Givers, led by external music producer Ahn Seong-il.

Released in 2023, 'Cupid' became a massive success, reaching a peak position of 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and maintaining a presence on the chart for 25 weeks.

Attract claimed that Ahn Seong-il had paid approximately $9,000 (around 11.7 million KRW) to Swedish students for a buyout of the song, asserting that CEO Jeon Hong-jun had refunded the song fee but that The Givers failed to provide information regarding the copyright purchase. They also stated that the service contract with The Givers included copyright transfer responsibilities.

In contrast, The Givers argued that Attract's payment was for the rights of a record producer, known as 'neighboring rights,' rather than for copyright itself.

Ultimately, the court dismissed Attract's claims, stating, "The plaintiff's request is without merit and is therefore rejected. The contract does not explicitly state any copyright transfer responsibilities, and The Givers undertook the contract at their own risk based on the creator's judgment."

The Givers noted that the court recognized them as the parties to the copyright transfer agreement, affirming that all substantial actions, including contract signing, negotiations, and cost burdens, were conducted through them.

Attract has announced plans to appeal while conducting a legal review. Separately, Attract and The Givers are engaged in a civil and criminal lawsuit regarding allegations of tampering. FIFTY FIFTY members Saena, Aran, and Shio Kina previously filed for a suspension of their exclusive contracts due to concerns over Attract's financial transparency, while Attract raised allegations against Ahn Seong-il regarding tampering. The court ruled in favor of Attract, leading to Kina withdrawing her lawsuit and returning to the agency.

Attract has since added four new members, restructuring FIFTY FIFTY into a five-member group and creating a new sensation with their latest release 'Pookie.' They have also initiated lawsuits for damages against Saena, Aran, Shio, and Ahn Seong-il. Meanwhile, Saena, Aran, and Shio are preparing for a re-debut as part of a new trio group called Ablume.