Legal battle over Kang Daniel intensifies

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Legal battle over Kang Daniel intensifies

The legal dispute surrounding singer Kang Daniel’s contract with his agency LM Entertainment intensified on Tuesday as his agency announced that it will take legal countermeasures against Kang, while Kang’s attorney revealed that LM went against the terms of the contract without prior notice or consent from the singer.

On Tuesday, lawyer Kim Mun-hui from law firm Jipyong released an official statement reading, “We have no choice but to take strong legal measures against the injunction.”

Law firm Yulchon filed for Kang’s contract with his current agency LM Entertainment to be suspended last week on Kang’s behalf, citing that the agency had transferred their rights to Kang as stated by the contract to a third party without the singer’s consent, thereby breaching the terms of the contract.

LM Entertainment explained that their contract with Kang took on the standard form of a contract provided by the Fair Trade Commission, and that they had fully abided by the terms, such as by paying Kang the contract fees.

Kang demanded a change to the terms of the contract even before the contract officially began without detailing down on his claims, according to lawyer Kim. Kang also stated that he had not been paid properly, which Kim says is “false.”

“Kang Daniel’s attorneys claim that LM Entertainment transferred their rights to a third party without legal rights, but the said contract was signed [between LM Entertainment] and Kang’s former agency, MMO Entertainment, for investment,” said Kim.

“It was to provide Kang with the best conditions, and LM Entertainment transferred their rights to no party, and holds their right to the singer’s management without any party’s share in it.”

Tuesday’s statement came as the agency’s first move against their singer, after “numerous attempts to make amends with Kang Daniel.”

While the agency stated that they will continue with their efforts to come to a peaceful understanding with the singer, Kang’s attorney, Yeom Yong-pyo, also released a statement on Tuesday afternoon, saying that LM Entertainment signed a contract that transferred all their rights to Kang’s management and content production to a third party on Jan. 28.

According to Yeom, Kang signed an exclusive contract with LM Entertainment on Feb. 2, 2018, and the contract came into effect on Feb. 2 this year.

LM Entertainment was given three times the amount of the contract fee for transferring their rights to MMO Entertainment, which Kang had not been told about beforehand and thus, did not give a consent to, Yeom said.

“That’s when the dispute began, when Kang Daniel found out that a contract had been signed with a third party without his awareness,” said Yeom.

The hearing for the injunction will take place at 2 p.m. on April 5 at the Seoul Central District Court.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]




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