PI IP LAW (LEE, PARK & MORRIS) are proud to announce the successful registration of Korea's first four sound marks for catchphrases.
Registering these four trademarks will be of immense significance, not just for the four trademark owners, but for the entire entertainment and advertising industries.
Many Korean comedians and entertainers have catchphrases, and these catchphrases are often copied by impersonators in advertising, enabling companies to unjustly profit from the famous catchphrases established by entertainers.
While previously entertainers tried to rely on copyright to protect their catchphrases, the protection that copyright is able to afford simple creations like catchphrases is tenuous at best. Trademark registration, on the other hand, provides a robust and durable IP right, which can also be more easily enforced and monetized.
For more information (in Korean), please refer to the following article
