Legal Battle Reignites Over ‘Golden Rubber Shoes’ Copyright, Public Gripped

‘검정고무신’ Copyright Dispute Rekindled with Appeal, Captivating Public Attention

Seoul, South Korea – Hyungseol & Company, a character company and publisher, has filed an appeal against the first-instance ruling in the copyright lawsuit of the popular comic “Golden Rubber Shoes,” igniting another legal dispute. According to a report by Newsis on the 14th, Hyungseol Publishing filed an appeal last month in response to a damage claim lawsuit filed by the family of the late author, Lee Woo-young. In response, the author’s family also filed a partial counterclaim on the 28th of last month, bringing the copyright dispute back to square one.

Background of the Lawsuit

The Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Senior Judge Park Chan-seok, ruled in favor of Hyungseol and Hyungseol Publishing, as well as their representative, Jang Jin-hyuk, in a damage claim lawsuit. The court ordered the defendants to pay damages of over 74 million won for copyright infringement and delayed interest to the author’s family. The court also ruled in favor of the author’s family in the counterclaim lawsuit, resulting in the termination of the contract between the author and the publisher. As a result, the publisher is prohibited from producing, selling, or using the character in any form.

Resumption of Committee Activities

The Lee Woo-young Case Response Committee, which had disbanded after the first-instance ruling, announced the start of its second-term activities with the appointment of Kim Dong-hoon as the new chairman. The committee’s decision to resume activities was greatly influenced by the participation of the youngest daughter, who inherited the author’s stake. The newly appointed Chairman Kim expressed astonishment and anger at the appellate court ruling, which disregarded the legal protection of minors. He stated that the committee felt the need to step in and respond to the difficult times faced by the author’s family.

Focus Areas for the Second Term

In its first term, the committee engaged in various activities such as solo protests, funeral processions, parliamentary debates, and commemorative exhibitions. The second-term committee plans to focus on a more systematic approach. Chairman Kim stated that while they have done everything they could during the previous term, they believe they can be more efficient by utilizing the experience and infrastructure they have built up. Currently, they are exploring options such as establishing a permanent exhibition of “Golden Rubber Shoes” in institutions or universities with exhibition spaces or collaborating with the Korea Animation Content Agency to create a permanent exhibition hall.

Support from the National Assembly

Assemblyman Kim Seung-soo of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee attended the committee’s announcement and promised efforts at the parliamentary level. He mentioned the soon-to-be-enacted “Fair Trade and Distribution of Cultural Industries Act” and expressed the goal of passing the bill within the year. This legislation aims to prevent unfair damages and contract cases and provide retroactive support to those currently facing difficulties due to unfair contracts. Efforts to improve the legal system and expand copyright awareness are also ongoing. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has established a consultation center staffed by experts and is expanding copyright-related education. Despite budget cuts for the next year, the budget for copyright-related matters has been significantly increased.

Continued Public Interest

Chairman Kim expressed gratitude for the interest and support shown by the National Assembly and stated that the committee will continue to create opportunities for generating public welfare through events such as parliamentary debates. The committee is also considering a serious boycott movement against Hyungseol as a means of directly supporting the victims’ families. However, attempts to contact Hyungseol regarding their position on the appellate court ruling have been unsuccessful.