Young Tak wins final Supreme Court ruling over 'Young Tak Makgeolli' trademark dispute

Singer Young Tak (real name Park Young-tak) has achieved a final victory at the Supreme Court of Korea in a legal battle regarding trademark rights against makgeolli manufacturer Yecheon Brewery. On the 12th, his agency Abyss Company announced that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Young Tak in the lawsuit requesting the prohibition of the use of product markings.

Following this ruling, Yecheon Brewery cannot produce, transfer, lease, or import makgeolli products that include the name 'Young Tak.' They must also remove the name from existing product packaging and advertisements. However, there is no obligation for the forced disposal of products that have already been distributed to third parties.

Conflict Began After the 'Mr. Trot' Performance

The dispute began when Young Tak's 'Makgeolli Han-jan' (A Glass of Makgeolli) performance on TV Chosun's 'Mr. Trot' became a sensation. Immediately following the broadcast in January 2020, Yecheon Brewery applied for and registered the trademark for the name 'Young Tak' and utilized related videos on platforms like YouTube.

Conflict arose when Young Tak's side raised objections. From April 2020, the two sides appeared to be finding common ground by signing a one-year model appearance contract. However, final negotiations broke down in July 2020 when the Korean Intellectual Property Office notified them that trademark registration was impossible because the 'Young Tak' brand was identical to the celebrity's stage name.

Battle Over Falsehoods Following Failed Contract Renewal

After the negotiations failed, Yecheon Brewery claimed that Young Tak's side had demanded excessive amounts, while Young Tak's side countered by defining this as false information. In this process, Representative A of Yecheon Brewery was indicted on charges of spreading false information and was sentenced to 6 months in prison with a 1-year stay of execution in the first trial this past January.

Abyss Company stated that the ruling allows the artist's rights to be protected. The agency remarked, "By winning the final Supreme Court ruling against the use of product markings, we have been able to protect the artist's rights," adding, "All suspicions that arose after the termination of the advertising contract have been clearly clarified."

Recent Updates Shared via SNS

Young Tak also shared his recent status with fans through SNS. In a photo posted on the 24th, he wore the South Korean national football team uniform and left cheering messages saying, "Korea, fighting" and "Young Tak Fighting."