Bae Suzy, Gong Yoo’s label Management Soop faces setback as court dismisses trademark infringement case against ex-Afreeca TV

In step with a K-media document, a present ruling on October 4 by the Sixtieth Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court docket brushed apart a preliminary injunction search recordsdata from filed by Management Soop, a celeb management firm representing high-profile stars love Bae Suzy, Gong Yoo, and more, towards Forest Co., Ltd. The lawful wrestle centered on allegations of trademark infringement that Management Soop claimed may maybe well well tarnish the image of its actors.

The court, led by Mediate Lim Hae Ji, diagnosed the similarity between the alternate names of both entities. Nonetheless, it positive that the 2 operate in distinctly diverse arenas, Management Soop specializes in essential person management and video lisp material manufacturing, while Forest Co., Ltd. runs a are living-streaming platform. This divergence led the court to realize that there changed into insufficient evidence to attach a competitive or overlapping relationship between the 2 corporations.

Management Soop had argued that the rebranding of Forest Co., Ltd. from its passe name, AfreecaTV, may maybe well well doubtlessly ruin the recognition of its actors and the basically-earned credibility of its attach. The management team expressed concerns that the adversarial associations linked to some streamers beneath the AfreecaTV banner may maybe well well adversely possess an affect on the final public thought of its high-profile purchasers. They claimed that any ruin incurred changed into irreversible, thus prompting their technique to grab lawful action.

No matter these concerns, the court found the evidence presented by Management Soop to be lacking. It ruled that the supplies submitted did no longer convincingly display that the name Forest Co., Ltd. changed into broadly known or posed a well-known effort of misunderstanding available in the market. The resolve essential that Forest Co., Ltd.’s broadcasting reinforce actions and partnerships did no longer tremendously overlap with these of Management Forest, thereby failing to attach a case for in all probability confusion.

With this ruling, Forest Co., Ltd. is now free to exhaust its contemporary trademark without the menace of lawful obstacles, allowing the firm to pursue its ambitions for world market expansion. The option has reputedly introduced a shut to the lawful disputes between these two entities, allowing both to proceed their operations without extra opponents. Within the meantime, Management Soop is moreover residence to, Nam Joo Hyuk, Ging Hyo Jin, Jung Yu Mi, and more renowned K-celebs,