Park Yoochun's Comeback Cancelled... Court Rejects Request to Cancel Activity Ban Injunction

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Sung-pil] Singer and actor Park Yoo-chun requested the court to cancel the temporary ban on his domestic broadcasting and entertainment activities, but the request was denied.

According to the legal community, the Seoul Central District Court Civil Agreement Division 50 (Chief Presiding Judge Song Kyung-geun) dismissed Park's application to cancel the "injunction prohibiting broadcasting appearances and entertainment activities" on the 27th. The court stated, "The claim for damages due to Park's breach of exclusive contract and the request to prohibit broadcasting appearances and entertainment activities are based on the same grounds," adding, "There is no reason to consider the change of claim as improper or an abuse of rights," and "It is not recognized as a reason for cancellation due to violation of the court's order to file a lawsuit."

Earlier, Yespera (currently Have Fun Together), the entertainment agency entrusted with managing Park, filed an injunction with the court in August last year, claiming that Park violated the exclusive contract and conspired with a third party for activities. The court accepted Yespera's application and ordered, "Until the final judgment of the main case is confirmed, Park Yoo-chun shall not engage in the production, promotion, advertising, character business, appearances, or entertainment activities for any third party other than Yespera."

Subsequently, instead of filing a new main lawsuit, Yespera added a request to prohibit Park's broadcasting appearances and entertainment activities to the ongoing damages claim lawsuit against him in the same court. In response, Park's side argued that this method was improper and applied to the court to cancel the injunction, stating that Yespera did not comply with the court's order to file the main lawsuit within the deadline.

Meanwhile, Park was arrested and indicted in 2019 on charges of methamphetamine use and was sentenced to 10 months in prison with a 2-year probation. Before being indicted, he held a press conference to announce his retirement from the entertainment industry but reversed this decision and returned to broadcasting after one year. He was scheduled to return to the screen after five years with the upcoming film "Devoted to Evil" next month, but the court's decision on this day is expected to put a halt to that plan.