26 channels operated without copyright holders' consent

Photo not related to article. [Reuters/Yonhap]
Photo not related to article. [Reuters/Yonhap]

A group that ran YouTube channels summarizing films and drama series without authorization — condensing full episodes down to their endings — has been referred to prosecutors on copyright charges.

The Yangsan Police Station in South Gyeongsang Province forwarded the channel's operator, identified only as A, along with seven employees and one corporation to prosecutors Monday on charges of violating copyright law, according to Yonhap.

A and the others are accused of uploading films and drama series content across 26 YouTube channels without the copyright holders' consent from 2019 through April this year, netting 3.75 billion won ($2.72 million) in illicit profits.

A initially operated alone, producing videos illegally starting in 2019, before incorporating a company in 2023 to expand the operation systematically.

The group generated revenue by compressing roughly 60-minute original works into clips of about 10 to 15 minutes. Some of the videos accumulated as many as 6.3 million views.

When copyright holders reported the channels and had them blocked, the group simply re-uploaded the content to replacement channels to continue the illegal activity.

Police cross-referenced bank account deposit records held in the corporation's name — obtained through a search and seizure of the office — with internal settlement documents, and applied to prosecutors for a pre-indictment asset preservation order to recover the illicit gains.


choigo@heraldcorp.com