“Kyle Hanagami’s Choreography and Fortnite Emote (Screenshot image of YouTube)
SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — As K-pop continues to dominate global music charts, South Korea is taking steps to bolster copyright protections for choreography that has fueled the genre’s meteoric rise.
A recent study by the Korea Copyright Commission underscores the need to safeguard the intellectual property rights of choreographers behind iconic dance routines, such as BLACKPINK’s 2020 mega-hit “How You Like That,” which has amassed over 1.3 billion YouTube views and inspired countless dance challenges worldwide.
Despite choreography being classified as a theatrical work under Article 4 of the Copyright Act, the study revealed that creators often struggle to secure recognition and compensation for their work.
This gap in protection is not unique to South Korea. A prominent example overseas involves American choreographer Kyle Hanagami, who sued Epic Games in 2020 for allegedly copying his 2017 dance routine for a Fortnite emote.
Although the lower court initially ruled against Hanagami, a 2024 appellate decision found substantial similarity between his choreography and the in-game animation, warranting damages.
South Korea has seen similar legal disputes. In 2011, the choreographer behind girl group Secret’s hit “Shy Boy” partially won a lawsuit against a dance academy for unauthorized use and distribution of recorded dance lessons online.
However, such legal victories remain rare. Many remain unaware that choreography qualifies for copyright protection, and ambiguity surrounding the scope of this protection hampers enforcement.
A 2024 survey by the Korea Choreography Copyright Association found that only 2.2% of 92 domestic choreographers had registered their works with the Korea Copyright Commission.
Although the Korea Choreography Copyright Association was established in early 2024 and the Commission has begun researching enhanced protections, these efforts are still in their infancy.
“Choreography has yet to become fully industrialized, and research on this issue remains limited globally,” a Commission official stated. “Significant efforts are necessary to establish choreographers’ rights and raise awareness about copyright protection.”
As the global influence of K-pop shows no signs of waning in 2025, industry experts emphasize that securing fair compensation for creative professionals is vital to sustaining the genre’s innovation and success.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
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