[OSENWORLD] Starship Entertainment has clarified its position regarding a trademark dispute, distancing girl group IVE from the controversy and confirming that the case has been withdrawn.
On October 2, the agency issued a statement:
“This matter was carried out independently by a legal representative without prior consultation with the company or the artist. Once we became aware of the filing, we immediately reviewed the procedure, confirmed its lack of validity, and moved to withdraw it. We sincerely regret the confusion caused.”
The statement continued:
“Starship values the rights and efforts of long-standing businesses as much as it values the protection of its artists. Moving forward, we will strengthen our oversight to prevent such incidents and to maintain the trust of both artists and fans alike.”
The controversy began when a small workshop called “Ive Leather Goods” revealed on September 30 that it had received a trademark cancellation notice from Starship. The business owner argued that the brand had been officially registered in 2019, two years before IVE’s debut, and expressed frustration over the filing despite past collaborations and exhibitions.
Following public criticism, Starship emphasized that the filing had been made without IVE’s involvement and reassured that the trademark cancellation had already been dropped.
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
Courtesy of Starship Entertainment
