G-Dragon and Yang Hyun Suk Cleared as Police Close Copyright Infringement Case
BIGBANG member G-Dragon and YG Entertainment chief producer Yang Hyun Suk have been cleared of copyright infringement allegations following a police investigation that lasted more than a year.
According to Korean media reports published on Wednesday, Oct. 7, Seoul Mapo Police Station decided on Apr. 7 not to forward the case to prosecutors, concluding that there were no charges against G-Dragon, Yang Hyun Suk, and the other individuals named in the complaint.
The police reportedly determined that it was difficult to establish an intent to infringe copyright.
The decision brings an end to a dispute that began in late 2024 and centered on a song connected to G-Dragon’s early years as a performer.
How Did the Copyright Dispute Begin?
The case dates back to November 2024, when a composer identified only as A filed a complaint with police.
According to the complaint, A claimed that a song he had composed and arranged, titled ‘G-DRAGON,’ was included on a 2001 hip-hop compilation album involving G-Dragon. At the time, G-Dragon was just 13 years old and was reportedly the youngest participant on the project.
A later alleged that the song was used without permission during G-Dragon’s 2009 solo concert. The performance was subsequently included on the live album ‘Shine a Light,’ which was released in 2010.
The composer argued that the track appeared under a different title, ‘My Age Is 13,’ and claimed that his name was also omitted from the credits after the title was changed.
The allegations prompted an investigation into how the song was performed and subsequently released, with authorities examining the circumstances surrounding the concert performance and the live album.
Police Investigate YG Entertainment
As part of the investigation, police reportedly searched YG Entertainment’s headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, as well as other locations. The searches were carried out twice last year as investigators looked into the copyright claims.
At the center of the case was whether the use of the song constituted intentional copyright infringement.
After examining the available information, police ultimately decided not to send the case to prosecutors. Their conclusion reportedly focused on the lack of sufficient evidence to recognize an intention to infringe copyright.
The decision means that G-Dragon and Yang Hyun Suk will not face prosecution over the allegations based on this police investigation.
YG Entertainment Denies Allegations
YG Entertainment rejected the allegations from the beginning and offered an explanation for why the song appeared under the title ‘My Age Is 13.’
The agency stated that two songs with the same title were performed together during G-Dragon’s 2009 concert. According to YG Entertainment, the alternative title was used simply to distinguish between the two tracks.
The agency explained that ‘My Age Is 13’ was taken from the opening line of the song’s lyrics and was not intended to suggest ownership of another composer’s work or conceal the identity of the original track.
YG Entertainment also maintained that there had been no intention to use the song without permission or violate copyright.
The police decision now aligns with the agency’s position that there was no established intent to infringe copyright.
Dispute Lasted More Than A Year
The case has remained in the spotlight for roughly a year and five months, beginning with the complaint in November 2024 and eventually reaching the police’s decision not to forward it to prosecutors.
For G-Dragon, the conclusion puts an end to a legal dispute connected to a period from his early career, long before he established himself as one of K-pop’s most recognizable solo artists and a key figure in BIGBANG.
Yang Hyun Suk, meanwhile, has also been cleared alongside the other individuals named in the complaint.
With the police closing the case without forwarding it to prosecutors, the copyright dispute now appears to have reached its conclusion at the investigative stage.
The development also removes a long-running legal cloud surrounding G-Dragon’s 2009 solo concert and the subsequent release of ‘Shine a Light,’ allowing the artist and YG Entertainment to move forward after months of investigation.
