Authorities crack down on illegal K-pop idol merchandise

05 Mar 2026, 05:33 by Minsoo-Kim · allkpop

Authorities have launched a strong crackdown on unauthorized merchandise using the names and images of popular K-pop idols amid the global surge in K-pop’s popularity.

On March 5 KST, the Korea Intellectual Property Office announced that it had identified four companies producing and selling goods that infringed on the publicity rights of idols by using the names and images of groups such as SEVENTEEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, aespa, IVE and RIIZE without permission. The agency issued corrective orders under the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act.

Publicity rights refer to the legal protection of the economic value attached to a person’s identity, including their name, likeness and image. The authorities noted that this action marks the first corrective order issued for the sale of merchandise that violates publicity rights, signaling a firm stance against what they described as “free riding” on the K-pop industry.

Investigators conducted administrative inspections from November 2025 to February 2026 across four offline retail locations in Sejong, Siheung, Bucheon and Gimhae, as well as online platforms. The investigation confirmed that products illegally circulating in the market used the stage names and images of 41 artists from six idol groups.

The companies involved had previously pledged to cease infringing on publicity rights but were found to have continued the violations. The merchandise included five types of products such as photocards, student ID style cards and stickers. Including duplicate stock with identical designs, the total volume of goods is estimated to reach several thousand items.

Under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, publicity rights infringement is classified as a form of unfair competition that harms another party’s economic interests. Authorities can impose administrative sanctions through investigations, as well as civil damages and injunctions.

Using an idol group’s name or image — considered a core economic asset — without proper authorization for commercial sales can significantly harm both the artists and their agencies while also misleading consumers, making it a violation of fair trade practices.

The corrective order system under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act was introduced in August 2024 to enable faster remedies for unfair competition acts such as idea theft and publicity rights infringement. If a company fails to comply with a corrective order, it may face fines of up to 20 million won.

The orders issued in this case require the companies to immediately halt sales of the infringing goods, destroy remaining inventory, refrain from similar sales practices in the future and complete education programs aimed at preventing further violations.

Kim Yong Hun, Director General of the Intellectual Property Protection Cooperation Bureau at the Korea Intellectual Property Office, stated, “Protecting intellectual property rights, including artists’ publicity rights, is essential for the continued growth of K culture industries such as K pop. We will continue to strictly monitor and crack down on the sale of goods that infringe on idol publicity rights and damage their reputation and credibility.”

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