HYBE will finally be taking action to secure and trademark artist-related terms.
Keep on reading to know more.
HYBE to Apply for Trademark Rights Over BTS' "Borahae" and Artist Related Terms
On June 8 KST, Korean media outlet Bloter reported that HYBE, BTS' agency, has applied for the trademark rights over the term "Borahae" with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) last June 4, as a response to the recent controversy over trademark preemption by the Korean cosmetic company, LALALEES.
According to HYBE, there have been continuous attempts to obtain the rights and trademarks associated with HYBE and its artists, and they have recognized it as a serious problem. "Hence, we are doing our best to secure the rights to prevent businesses in the future from owning or possessing terms that are related to our artists. The application for trademark rights over 'Borahae' was also a part of this," said HYBE.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BTS' Coined Term 'Borahae' Applied for Trademark by Cosmetic Company
HYBE previously did not apply for trademark rights over BTS' coined term, "Borahae," as it was used in various marketing and product designs. However, it was not used as a trademark to indicate the brand of a product. As the controversy arose one after another, measures had to be taken to protect the rights of the company and its artists.
"Borahae" or "I Purple You" is a term coined by BTS' V during a fan meeting back in 2016. The term was first used when V used it to describe the last color of the rainbow - purple - which means to trust and love each other until the end. Since then, "Borahae" held significant meaning and has been widely used between ARMY and BTS as a way to show their affection, support, and bond with each other.
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Korean Comestic Company Applies for Trademark Rights Over "Borahae"
At the end of May, it was revealed by media outlets and on the official website of the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) that a Korean cosmetic company, LALALEES, which specializes in nails, had applied for the trademark rights over the term "Borahae" last year on September 1, under the classification of soaps, essential oils, fragrances, cosmetics, hair products, polishes, and cleaning agents.
A representative of Sports Kyunghyang had contacted LALALEES to inquire about the reason behind the trademark application. However, the company's employees revealed that it was the CEO who had applied and that they have no knowledge regarding the details of the application.
BTS' fandom, ARMY, was not happy with the news that "Borahae" was being applied for trademark rights by a company that is not related to HYBE, as it can pose possible brand infringements and impact future term and phrase usage. In turn, ARMY contacted BTS' agency in order to make them aware of the escalating issue and take action.
READ MORE: Cosmetic Company Apologizes and Cancels Trademark Application of BTS' 'Boraehae'
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Written by Robyn Joan
