JYP Entertainment clarifies FANOMENON trademark ownership

The Popular Culture Exchange Committee has addressed controversies regarding the trademark rights for ‘FANOMENON’, a large-scale K-pop festival planned for 2027. The committee clarified that JYP Entertainment, led by co-chair Park Jin-young, initially applied for the trademarks to secure rights quickly following the committee's launch.

To establish a public-private partnership, JYP Entertainment has transferred a 50% stake in the trademark to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The remaining shares held by JYP are intended to be transferred entirely to a dedicated legal entity that will be established to manage the event. Similar procedures are being followed for international trademarks to ensure rapid rights acquisition in overseas markets.

However, the situation has drawn criticism from lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin, who has called for Park Jin-young to testify at a parliamentary audit. Bae questioned the necessity and timing of JYP Entertainment filing for the trademarks of a government-supported project and requested transparency regarding the committee's operations and any related expenditures.