Attrakt: The Global Battle for the FIFTY FIFTY Trademark

In South Korea, Attrakt’s formal registration was finalized on May 24, almost a year after their initial application in May of the previous year. Jeon Jong-hak, a patent attorney representing Attrakt and president of the World Korean Intellectual Property Association, confirmed on the 20th that the main concern was Product Classification No. 41, which includes the group name. As the patent office has recognized Attrakt as the rightful owner of the trademark, registering for other product classifications is not a problem.

In July of last year, trademark applications were submitted in both China and the UK. Registrations were completed on January 7 and November 24 of last year, respectively. The European Union registration date was February 28 of this year. Most recently, Taiwan has been added to the list.

Jeon clarified that registrations have been successfully completed in China, the UK, Taiwan, and all 27 countries in the European Union. However, due to Brexit, separate registration was necessary for the UK. The European Union registration was able to take effect simultaneously in all 27 countries.

Attrakt has also submitted trademark applications in the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, and these applications are currently undergoing examination.

The return of Keena to the agency is thought to have greatly impacted Attrakt’s success in obtaining the trademark in multiple countries. While it is typical for the agency that provided the initial capital to hold ownership of the trademark, the growing significance of group members’ contributions has made their approval essential in the process of acquiring the trademark.

The exclusive contracts of the three former members who opposed Attrakt have been terminated, thereby reducing their ability to claim trademark rights. On the other hand, Keena, a current member of FIFTY FIFTY, is currently gearing up for new activities, making her consent a crucial element for Attrakt’s trademark registration.

In the meantime, Keena will lead the restructured five-member FIFTY FIFTY, which is scheduled to return in September. However, the trio of ex-members are still dealing with a 13 billion KRW (equivalent to $10 million USD) lawsuit from Attrakt, which is slated to begin in August.

The source of this information can be found at Nate, accessible at //news.nate.com/view/20240621n05204?mid=n1008.