Attrakt Owns FIFTY FIFTY Trademark in 31 Nations Amid Legal Battles
Attrakt, the agency of the girl group FIFTY FIFTY, has officially become the owner of the 'FIFTY FIFTY' trademark.
In South Korea, the formal registration was completed on May 24, nearly a year after Attrakt applied for the trademark in May of the previous year. Jeon Jong-hak, a patent attorney representing Attrakt and the president of the World Korean Intellectual Property Association, stated on the 20th, “The core issue lies in Product Classification No. 41, which includes the group name. Since the patent office determined that Attrakt is the rightful owner of the trademark, registering other product classifications is not an issue.”
In China and the UK, the trademark applications were submitted on July 5 of last year, with registrations completed on January 7 of this year and November 24 of last year, respectively. The European Union registration date was February 28 of this year. Taiwan has also been recently added to the list.
Jeon explained, “Registrations have been completed in China, the UK, Taiwan, and the European Union. In the case of the UK, separate registration was required due to Brexit. The European Union registration simultaneously takes effect across 27 countries.”
Attrakt has also filed trademark applications in the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where examinations are ongoing.
It is believed that the influence of Keena, who returned to the agency, played a significant role in Attrakt securing the trademark in most countries. Although it is common for the agency providing initial capital to own the trademark, the increasing importance of group members’ roles has made their consent crucial in the trademark acquisition process.
The three former members who opposed Attrakt have had their exclusive contracts terminated, weakening their grounds to claim trademark rights. In contrast, Keena, as a current member of FIFTY FIFTY, is preparing for new activities, making her consent a decisive factor in Attrakt’s trademark registration.
Meanwhile, the restructured five-member FIFTY FIFTY, led by Keena, is set to make a comeback in September. The three former members are facing a 13 billion KRW (approximately $10 million USD) damage lawsuit filed by Attrakt, set to begin in August.
Source: Nate
