IU Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Accuser Over Plagiarism Claims

Singer and actress IU has won a defamation lawsuit against an online commenter, referred to as A, who accused her of plagiarism.

On the 18th, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 29 ruled in favor of IU in a lawsuit seeking damages of approximately 30 million KRW (around $25,000 USD) against A.

In May 2023, A accused IU of infringing on their copyrights with six of her hit songs, including 'Good Day,' 'The Red Shoes,' 'BBIBBI,' and 'Celebrity.' IU was only partially involved in the composition of 'Celebrity' and produced 'BBIBBI,' while she had no involvement in the other songs, leading to criticism of the accusations as baseless.

The police dismissed A's accusations in August 2023, and IU promptly filed a lawsuit for damages against A in September. However, the lawsuit faced challenges as A's identity could not be determined. Despite IU's efforts to claim approximately 30 million KRW in damages, the identity and whereabouts of A remained unknown.

The court stated, "The judgment had to be made based solely on the claims and evidence submitted by the plaintiff," and concluded the proceedings. While IU may not receive actual damages from A, the victory clears her of the plagiarism allegations.