GDragon Cleared as Copyright Holder in Disputed Song? — “No Unauthorized Copying” on 14th

GDragon Cleared as Copyright Holder in Disputed Song? — “No Unauthorized Copying”

he Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA) has issued a statement regarding allegations of copyright infringement involving singer G-Dragon, clarifying key facts in the case.

Earlier, Seoul Mapo Police received a complaint last November from composer A, claiming that G-Dragon and YG Entertainment’s executive producer Yang Hyun-suk had copied his work without permission. A alleged that the two used his song G-DRAGON without consent in April 2009 to produce and distribute Shine a Light, later renaming it Thirteen Years Old, while failing to credit him.

Police reportedly questioned those involved and conducted searches at YG Entertainment’s headquarters and the music copyright association’s office. However, KOMCA stated on the 14th,

“We have never been subjected to a police search. That is not true.”

Adding to this, local media reported that G-Dragon was merely the performer of the track in question and was not listed as a copyright holder.

YG Entertainment also addressed the situation on the 13th:

“This was an incident from G-Dragon’s 2009 solo concert, where two different songs with the same title were listed together in the setlist. It is not a case of unauthorized album reproduction.”

The statements emphasize that G-Dragon did not hold the song’s copyright, and that the matter stems from a setlist notation during a live performance rather than any deliberate infringement.