"Is That Cheong Support Light a Fake?" Enforcement Team to Appear at BLACKPINK Concert

Patent Office Trademark Police Concert On-Site Crackdown on Counterfeit Goods
Many Fake Goods Detected in Online Monitoring as Well
"Will Use as an Opportunity to Promote a Culture of Respect for Intellectual Property"

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) is dispatching personnel to the BLACKPINK concert venue to crack down on so-called 'fake goods.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to KIPO on the 14th, the Special Trademark Police will conduct crackdowns and guidance activities against counterfeit BLACKPINK-related products at the 'BLACKPINK World Tour Finale Concert' held at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on the 16th and 17th.

Since last month, KIPO has been monitoring counterfeit BLACKPINK-related products sold online and confirmed that many counterfeit products related to BLACKPINK are circulating. KIPO has taken measures such as deleting posts or accounts of counterfeit product sellers.

Following this, they will also crack down on 'fake goods' sold on-site during the concert.

On the morning of July 20th, various light sticks used by fans at K-pop concerts were exhibited at the special exhibition "The [ ] We Loved, and Hallyu" held at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As the culture of bringing 'light sticks' as a must-have item to concerts has taken root, many counterfeit product sellers sell so-called 'jjapbong' (fake light sticks) and various other counterfeit goods in front of the concert venue.

The Special Trademark Police plan to patrol mainly around subway stations expected to have heavy foot traffic on the day of the concert and the main entrances of the Sky Dome to enforce the crackdown.

Additionally, based on information collected during monitoring, the Special Trademark Police will conduct planned investigations targeting large-scale and habitual counterfeit product sellers, while continuously monitoring online platforms for 'K-Culture' related counterfeit goods in cooperation with major domestic entertainment agencies.

In particular, KIPO plans to use this crackdown as an opportunity to enhance the brand value of domestic companies and promote and educate concert attendees about respecting intellectual property culture.

Park Ju-yeon, head of the Special Trademark Police, said, "We hope this crackdown will help establish a culture of respecting genuine products," adding, "KIPO will continue to monitor and crack down on trademark infringement related to K-Culture."

Meanwhile, BLACKPINK will hold the finale of their 'BLACKPINK World Tour - Born Pink' in Seoul at Gocheok Sky Dome, Guro-gu, Gocheok-dong on the 16th and 17th. This stage marks the end of a world tour that covered 34 cities worldwide with 64 concerts over 11 months.