Lawsuit Filed by Suzy’s Agency Against AfreecaTV Dismissed

In March, the popular online streaming service AfreecaTV underwent a rebranding and adopted the name SOOP. Following this transition, Management SOOP took legal action, filing an injunction for alleged trademark violation.

The representatives of Management SOOP contended, “The actions of AfreecaTV violate our trademark and trade name rights, leading to confusion and a misappropriation of reputation, which is expressly forbidden under the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act.”

They went on to elaborate, “Should this situation persist, it will tarnish the reputation and trust we have cultivated, adversely impacting the public perception of the talents we represent, and this damage cannot be reversed later.”

Nevertheless, the Seoul Central District Court has denied the injunction filed by Management SOOP. The court’s decision stated, “Considering the substantial differences in the nature, content, methods, and target audience of both businesses, establishing a close relationship between the entertainment management firm and the live streaming service offered by the defendant is challenging.”

Consequently, AfreecaTV has solidified its new identity as SOOP.

Management SOOP’s roster includes well-known actors such as Suzy, Gong Yoo, Jeon Do-yeon, Gong Hyo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Seo Hyun-jin, and Nam Joo-hyuk.

Source: Nate

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