[Exclusive]Lee Seung-ki appeals ruling ordering payment of 690 million won; former agency lawsuit enters second round

*This content was translated by AI.

A settlement dispute lawsuit filed by singer and actor Lee Seung-ki against his former agency Hook Entertainment (now Chorongbaem Media) will return to court as both sides have filed appeals.

According to StarNews, Hook Entertainment submitted an appeal document on the 1st challenging the first-instance ruling in the settlement dispute lawsuit that Lee Seung-ki had filed against Hook Entertainment. Subsequently, Lee Seung-ki also filed an appeal on the 8th, leading to the resumption of court proceedings.

Previously, on August 28, Seoul Central District Court's Civil Deliberative Division No. 20 ruled partially in favor of the plaintiff, stating that "Hook Entertainment must pay approximately 690 million won out of the approximately 830 million won claimed by Lee Seung-ki."

Earlier, Lee Seung-ki filed a lawsuit in February demanding distribution of revenue from music and album sales, arguing that Hook Entertainment continued to earn income from such sources even after terminating their exclusive contract in December 2022. In response, Hook Entertainment argued that settlement obligations only arise if there is a separate agreement, even if certain revenues are obtained after the termination of the exclusive contract.

However, the court ruled in Lee Seung-ki's favor, stating, "Even without a separate settlement agreement, the obligation to settle must be fulfilled. Allowing the party that breached the contract to gain more profit than one who adheres to it would significantly violate the principles of good faith and equity."

Nevertheless, not all of Lee Seung-ki's demands regarding the settlement ratio were accepted. Lee Seung-ki's side requested 70% of sales generated up until August 2024, when the contract expired, and 50% of subsequent sales. The court, considering industry practices where settlement ratios decrease after contract termination compared to during the contract period, approved 60% and 40%, respectively.

Lee Seung-ki sent a formal notice in November 2022, claiming he had received no settlement payments for music usage fees since his debut. Following this, Hook Entertainment paid approximately 5.4 billion won based on its own calculation and then filed a lawsuit seeking confirmation of non-existence of debt, to which Lee Seung-ki responded with a counterclaim.

In April last year, the court ruled that Hook Entertainment must additionally pay Lee Seung-ki approximately 580 million won in advertising commissions. The ruling became final as neither side filed an appeal.

Meanwhile, Lee Seung-ki is also embroiled in a settlement dispute with Big Planet Made Entertainment, where he was previously affiliated after Hook Entertainment.

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*This content was translated by AI.