IU Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against False Plagiarism Accuser

On December 18, 2024, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of singer IU (아이유) in her defamation lawsuit against an individual identified as A. The court ordered A to pay IU 30 million KRW in damages. A had accused IU of plagiarizing six of her songs, including 'Pink Shoes' (분홍신), 'Good Day' (좋은날), 'Bbibbi' (삐삐), 'Love Poem' (가여워), 'Lovesick' (부), and 'Celebrity' (셀러브리티), claiming copyright infringement. However, A is not the original creator of these works but rather a regular citizen. Under copyright law, infringement claims require participation in the creative process, which IU did only for 'Celebrity' and 'Bbibbi.' The police dismissed A's complaint in August 2023. Following this, IU filed a lawsuit against A for defamation, invasion of privacy, and false accusations. A did not respond to the lawsuit, leading the court to proceed with public notification procedures. Additionally, IU's agency revealed that they are taking legal action against other individuals spreading baseless plagiarism allegations and threats against her, some of whom are believed to be her former classmates. The agency stated that they are actively addressing ongoing harassment against IU.