On July 19th, the fifth hearing of the lawsuit filed by Hook Entertainment against Lee Seung-gi for confirmation of non-existence of debt was held at the Civil Division 20 of the Seoul Central District Court. Representatives from both parties were present at the hearing.
The court emphasized the importance of verifying the basis on which the settlement details, as outlined in the preparatory documents, were compiled. It also highlighted the need to thoroughly examine the original documents pertaining to the settlement details, which are the primary issue in the lawsuit, in order to compare the arguments of both parties.
Lee Seung-gi’s attorney countered, stating that “the objective data is inevitably in Hook’s possession”and asserted that “for the past 20 years, securing even a single satisfactory agreement has proven challenging.”In response to Hook’s assertion that they are unable to produce records prior to a certain date due to the statute of limitations, Lee Seung-gi’s lawyer disputed this claim, stating that “they have not given sufficient explanation as to why these records are unavailable. We will submit evidence based on the fundamental data we possess.”
Lee Seung-gi’s representatives also stated that the concert profits were not accurately managed, stating, “As per the terms of the exclusive agreement, the income and expenditures for concerts should be transparently reported and settled. However, Hook merely listed amounts without any evidence to support them, and the expenses they are claiming are not adequately backed up.”In response, Hook argued that the settlement for the concerts is a distinct matter.
The court suggested that Hook had given 80 million won without any revenue sharing and that Lee Seung-gi’s side could request further information if necessary.
Lee Seung-gi’s representatives clarified, “We only received the settlement data as a result of the dispute and from a former accounting employee at Hook. Hook has not yet provided any documentation related to music royalties.”
In November 2022, Lee Seung-gi stated that he had not been compensated for music usage fees by Hook since his debut 18 years ago. He provided evidence and requested payment for the unpaid revenue. In December 2022, Hook sent Lee Seung-gi 5.4 billion won as settlement, including delayed interest. However, Lee Seung-gi refused to accept it and initiated legal proceedings.
The lawsuit filed by Hook alleges that they paid Lee Seung-gi an excess amount for advertisement activity settlements and are now seeking a refund of 900 million won. Previously, Hook had asserted that they did not owe any money to Lee Seung-gi, but their claim has since been modified to request a refund. However, Lee Seung-gi maintains that Hook still owes him 3 billion won.
During the second court hearing, Lee Seung-gi made an appearance and presented a petition stating, “We were in a long-term professional relationship from my teenage years to my thirties. If the music royalties had been dealt with honestly and transparently, this situation would not have arisen. I want to address the issue of how someone of my level of fame and experience could have been unaware of such fundamental rights for 20 years.”He went on to reveal, “CEO Kwon Jin-young once told me, ‘I could take anyone off the street and raise them better than you.’ From the very beginning, CEO Kwon showed dissatisfaction whenever money matters such as appearance fees or contract payments were discussed, becoming extremely agitated and painting me
After discovering the concept of music royalties in 2021, Lee Seung-gi expressed his disappointment, stating, “It was a major letdown to realize that the company and CEO Kwon Jin-young, whom I had trusted, had been deceiving me for such a long time. I hope that this doesn’t occur again and that future artists are not subjected to the same unfair treatment.”
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