• Will GFRIEND Carry On Promoting As A Group "Again" After Winning Trademark Rights to Source Music?

    Ex-members of the disbanded group GFRIEND opened up the possibility of promoting as "GFriend". The industry's opinion is that the agency's mistakes paved the way for their activities.

    Source Music, a subsidiary of HYBE, recently requested the Korean Intellectual Property Office to apply for a trademark for "G-Friend", but received a rejection notice on July 14th. It is not a decision to dismiss, but the purpose is to amend the opinion on the trademark application.

    The applied trademark "G-Friend" is a trademark similar to "GFRIEND", the English name of the group girlfriend (Trademark Act, Article 34, Paragraph 1, No. 6). This is because there is a risk of confusion or consumer deception (Trademark Act, Article 34, Paragraph 1, No. 11).

    The products that Source Music applied for this time were 18 (bags and clothing, etc.), which were previously rejected because 3 (soap and non-medical cosmetics, etc.), 11 (sanitary devices for steam generation, etc.), and 14 (precious metals, Jewelries, etc.) was not an application for entertainment-related trademark rights.

    Nonetheless, based on the interpretation of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the existing GFRIEND members are permitted to engage in activities not only with the English name "G-Friend," but also with the original Korean name "여자친구" which is currently held by the former agency Source Music.

    According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office, Source Music's trademark application was for "a trademark similar to the English name of 'G-Friend,' a six-member female singer group that is widely recognized by the general public."

    In a similar case, T-ara's former agency applied for a trademark application for "T-ara" and was rejected.

    Park Soo Jo, a patent attorney at Yonsei University (adjunct professor at Yonsei University), stated, "The Korean Intellectual Property Office appears to have clarified the position that, if the group is disbanded after the name of an existing famous idol group is owned by the agency, the trademark rights of the group name will belong to the group members and not the agency".

    GFriend was a six-member girl group debuted by Source Music in January 2015; however, Source Music, which was acquired by HYBE in May of last year, terminated their activities due to the expiration of their exclusive contract. It came as a surprise to the fans. The anger of the fans continued, as did the criticism that the "disbandment" was not fully agreed upon by the agency and the members.

    Source[1]

  • Kim Jae Joong Breaks Down inTears after his Father’s Heartfelt Apology during 60th Wedding Snniversary Celebration

    Kim Jae Joong couldn’t hold back his tears as he experienced an emotional moment with his father.

    On April 4, the KBS 2TV show "New Menu Launching: Pyeon Restaurant" aired a heartwarming episode where Kim Jae Joong, the youngest of nine siblings, threw a special celebration for his parents’ 60th wedding anniversary.

    The star took charge of everything—planning, organizing, and hosting the event—as a grand gesture to show his gratitude for everything his parents had done for him and his siblings.

    Kim Jae Joong rented a luxurious banquet hall at a five-star hotel for the celebration. He made sure to select food that would please all of his family, including his parents and siblings.

    With his large family in attendance, the venue was filled with love and joy. Kim Jae Joong’s nine siblings all bowed deeply to thank their parents for raising them, showing immense respect and love.

    As his father saw all of his children gathered in one place, he couldn’t help but express his pride, saying, “Are all these really my children?” But his emotions quickly took a turn as he shared his feelings of regret. “I feel sorry that I couldn’t do better for you, I’m sorry I couldn’t do as much as others did. But I’m so thankful that you all grew up so well,” he said, with tears starting to form in his eyes.

    It was the first time Kim Jae Joong had seen his father cry. Overcome with emotion, he said, “I know my father’s life very well, so I couldn’t help but cry too.” The entire family shared in the tears, shouting, “We love you, Dad,” creating an unforgettable moment that moved everyone to tears.

    The touching episode aired on April 4 at 8:30 PM, showing viewers the deep love and gratitude Kim Jae Joong and his siblings have for their parents.

    Source (1)