Park Seo-joon Protests Unauthorized Use of His Image in Ads

Light House Denver – Park Seo-joon has won a lawsuit against a restaurant that used his face and scenes from his drama for promotion without permission. This case has drawn public attention as it involves copyright infringement and unauthorized use of a public figure’s image in South Korea’s entertainment industry.

Illegal Use of Drama Scenes

Park Seo-joon’s agency, Awesome ENT, revealed that since 2019, they had repeatedly asked the restaurant to stop using the actor’s images. The images were taken from a popular scene in the drama What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (tvN, 2018), where Park’s character enjoys soy-marinated crab. However, these requests were ignored.

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Worse still, the restaurant illegally resumed using the banners and online ads despite their temporary removal, and even issued verbal abuse and mocking remarks toward the court’s decision. The agency’s representative confirmed this in an official statement reported by Korea Times on Friday, July 4, 2025.

Controversy and Damages

The restaurant, which was the filming location for the drama, exploited the scene’s popularity by adding promotional text, making it appear as if Park Seo-joon was an official ambassador for the establishment. This clearly violated the actor’s personal rights and image.

Initially, the agency claimed damages worth 6 billion won as an estimated loss from the misuse. However, they filed an official lawsuit in court for 60 million won (approximately IDR 770 million). After the legal process, the court awarded Park Seo-joon 5 million won (around IDR 64 million) in compensation.

The Importance of Protecting Artists’ Image Rights

Although the compensation amount was relatively small, the agency emphasized the case’s importance. They presented it as a firm warning against violations of copyright and artists’ image rights. Awesome ENT affirmed its commitment to taking uncompromising legal actions against any infringement of their artists’ personal rights and image.

“We will continue to fight for our artists’ rights and protect their image seriously to prevent such cases from happening again, and to stop anyone from exploiting their names and faces without permission,” said the agency representative.

Positive Impact on the Entertainment Industry

This case reminds businesses and the entertainment industry to respect copyright. It also highlights the importance of ethical use of artists’ images. Unauthorized use not only causes financial loss but also harms the reputation and relationship between artists and the public.

With this court ruling, greater awareness is expected regarding the strict protection of copyright and personal image rights. Park Seo-joon once again demonstrates professionalism and firmness in defending his personal rights amid the highly competitive entertainment industry.

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