IU Wins Defamation Case Against Accuser Over Plagiarism Claims

Singer IU (아이유) has successfully won a defamation lawsuit against an individual who falsely accused her of plagiarism. On December 18, the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Lee Geon-hee, ruled in favor of IU, ordering the accuser, referred to as A, to pay her 30 million KRW in damages.

Last year in May, A filed a complaint with the police, alleging that IU had violated copyright laws by plagiarizing six of her songs, including 'Pink Shoes' (분홍신), 'Good Day' (좋은날), 'BBIBBI' (삐삐), 'Love Poem' (가여워), 'Boo' (부), and 'Celebrity' (셀러브리티). The complaint claimed that these songs shared significant similarities in melody, rhythm, and chord progressions with other artists' works, particularly noting the resemblance between 'Good Day' and 'Pink Shoes'.

In response, IU's team accused A of malicious intent and announced plans for legal action. Her agency, EDAM Entertainment, stated that the accusations were made by a third party with no connection to copyright issues, aimed solely at damaging IU's reputation. They also indicated that they would hold the accuser accountable for the unfounded claims.

In August of the same year, the police dismissed A's complaint, stating that it did not constitute a crime. Following this, IU's team filed a lawsuit against A for defamation, violation of personal rights, and false accusations.

During the trial, A did not respond to the proceedings, leading the court to proceed with a public notification process, which allows the court to consider the documents served after a specified period if the parties cannot be reached directly.