Court sides with Coupang Play in legal battle over web series 'Anna'

The eight-episode director's cut of ″Anna″ (2022) was released two months after the six-episode version hit Coupang Play in June. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of streaming platform Coupang Play in its legal battle with Lee Zoo-young, director and screenwriter of the Korean web series “Anna” (2022).

The court ruled last Wednesday that Coupang Play and Lee had equal rights to the final editing process of “Anna,” which is based on author Chung Han-ah’s novel “Intimate Stranger.”

Lee filed a civil suit against Coupang Play in September 2022, having called out the streaming service the previous month for allegedly making major edits to the series without her consent.

“Not only was the length of the show cut, but it also tampered with the structure and order of the scenes, which interfered with the show's narrative, filming, editing and intention,” Lee said on Aug. 2, after the majority of the series' episodes had already been released.

Coupang Play claimed in response, a day later, that it had edited the content “with the consent of the producer and in accordance with the rights stipulated in the contract to match the original production intent.”

Lee had refused the multiple requests to edit in accordance to what had been agreed upon, the company said.

Lee nevertheless sued Coupang Play for damaging her editorial rights to her work, demanding compensation and that her name be removed from the show's credits.

Behind-the-scenes photo from ″Anna″ (2022) [COUPANG PLAY]

The court ultimately dismissed Lee's claims, stating that not only do both parties hold equal rights to the edits, but also that the final version does not differ enough from the original that it can be deemed to have “infringed” upon Lee's rights to her work.

“The speed at which the story unfolds is faster, and certain scenes are deleted in Coupang Play’s edited version compared to Director Lee’s cut, but [Coupang Play’s version] maintains the [director’s cut’s] overall story and main content as it is,” the court said. “It is not deemed to have reached a level of fundamental transformation.”

The court also denied Lee’s request to have her name removed from the show’s credits as well, citing the director’s contract with Coupang Play.

Still from ″Anna″ (2022) [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Coupang Play released Lee’s eight-episode director’s cut version of “Anna” on Aug. 12, separately from the six-episode “Anna” that had initially been published.

Lee received the Series Film Director Award for the director’s cut of “Anna” at the 2022 Daejong International Film Awards.

“Though artists work in a capital-driven system, the protection of their rights and authority, at the very least, is the most minimal and last remaining motivation left for the creation of art,” Lee told the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, on Monday.

“I want [the system] to not the kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. I will, therefore, make an appeal.”

“Anna” is a psychological thriller starring actor Bae Suzy. Bae plays Yu-mi, a character who ditches her identity and lives as another person named Anna.

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]