T-ara trademark dispute sees MBK backed by UKPCA, who colluded with SME to prevent JYJ activities

Kim Kwang Soo and MBK Entertainment have been pulling out all the stops to fuck with T-ara, and their latest it to get the official sounding Union Of Korean Pop Culture And Arts (UKPCA) to vouch for them in the trademark dispute over ‘T-ara’.

On January 19, the union stated, “The agency has spent a great deal of time and effort creating, producing, planning, discovering, and investing in the group to increase their activities and popularity, which means the agency should be recognized as their producer and creator. In addition, it is a matter of course that a creator would claim ownership of their original creative works, and the agency and creators have every right to protect such ownership without giving up on it.” Furthermore, they added, “It’s MBK’s right as the one who produced, created, and planned the group T-ara to apply for ownership of the name. This is not only an issue between MBK and T-ara, but it is also recognized as a matter of group rights and interests protection as a member of the Union of Korean Pop Culture and Arts. Therefore, MBK has the legitimate right to apply for a trademark of T-ara.” The Union of Korean Pop Culture and Arts also emphasized that strong sanctions can be imposed on immoral entertainers who undermine the order and morals of the industry.

Immoral, huh?

Weird coming from an organization that was ordered by the Free Trade Commission (FTC) in 2013 to stop colluding with SM Entertainment to prevent JYJ‘s activities, which they had been doing since 2009.

S.M., in collusion with the Union of Korean Pop Culture and Arts Industry, a collective federation of artists promoting Korean culture and arts at home and abroad, has abused its power as a dominant entertainment agency by relentlessly hindering JYJ’s expansion since the boy group broke off its relationship with S.M. in 2009, according to the FTC.

Definitely sounds like an unbiased source on this kind of thing.

Not gonna pretend I know or care about trademark law, just focusing on the mediaplay bullshit surrounding T-ara leaving their company. They don’t want the name, they just want to smear them and make their life hell.