With debate intensifying over look-alike official lightstick designs for THE BOYZ and QWER, the Korea Entertainment Producers Association (KEPA) issued a statement calling for industry mediation and urgent rulemaking.
On Sept. 20, KEPA said the flare-up―now veering toward legal action―goes beyond a simple copycat spat, arguing it’s a wake-up call for the future of K-pop merch culture, the sense of community among fandoms, and the genre’s global competitiveness.
The trade group noted that while both camps strongly disagree, the moment calls for a balanced look at legal standards and facts, industry norms and what falls within the public domain of design, as well as the broader social significance of fandom identity. KEPA warned that if the battle plays out solely in court, K-pop risks stifled creativity, more insular and combative fan culture, and a loss of trust at home and abroad.
KEPA proposed the following: ▲ Establish standard guidelines so artists, labels, and fandoms can clearly protect meaningful creative assets; ▲ Promote mutual respect between fandoms and guard against baseless attacks, hate, and cyberbullying; ▲ Pursue mediation between parties and put in place practical measures to prevent repeats; ▲ Build a system so official merch designs are pre-registered, openly reviewed, and discussed across the industry from the early planning stage.
The clash erupted after QWER unveiled a new lightstick that fans said resembles THE BOYZ’s megaphone-shaped model, in use since 2021. Because lightsticks are a key symbol of the artist-fan bond, THE BOYZ’s fandom, THE B, pushed back hard―sending protest trucks and demanding a redesign.
THE BOYZ’s agency One Hundred said the lightstick is a crucial emblem connecting artists and fans, adding that it asked QWER’s side to change the design but couldn’t reach a resolution. The company pledged a strong response, including legal action, to prevent a repeat.
QWER’s agency countered that the product underwent multiple reviews by attorneys and patent experts and was cleared of issues, including copyright infringement. Expressing regret that One Hundred announced legal measures mid-discussion, the label signaled it plans to keep the current design.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)