Kissasian will no longer be streaming dramas and shows from the Philippines after local television network ABS-CBN filed an $8 million lawsuit against the site for alleged infringement of trademarks and registered copyrights. The network filed the suit before a United States Federal District Court.
According to a report by the Philippine Star, the lawsuit filed before Kissasian stemmed from its unauthorized streaming of 27 shows and movies produced by ABS-CBN including "Be My Lady," "Born for You," "Dolce Amore," "You're Still the One," "Etiquette for Mistresses," and "Ex with Benefits." The network cited that the move was part of its efforts to protect its trademark and copyrights.
This was not the first time that ABS-CBN has filed trademark and copyright lawsuits against sites that regularly stream their shows without permission. The network has successfully won suits against 11 similar sites and was awarded $1 million dollars from each respondent.
In response to the lawsuit, Kissasian, through its Facebook page recently announced that it will no longer be streaming Filipino shows on the site. It apologized to its fans for having to shut down streaming dramas from the Philippines, reported Hello Kpop.
"Dear KissAsianers! For safety, we have to stop streaming all Philippines drama from now. So sorry!," its announcement read. It also attached a news report pertaining to the lawsuit to explain to its viewers why they had to remove the dramas from their roster.
Most of the fans were understanding and said that it was okay so long as the site continues to stream English subbed dramas and movies from South Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan. According to Kissasian website, the site is not claiming ownership for copyrights and trademarks for the dramas and shows streamed on the site. It cites the fair use clause of the Copyright Law as a basis of its operations.
