'Strong Baseball' vs 'Flame Baseball' Copyright Dispute, Legal Battle Continues Despite Court Reconciliation Recommendation

JTBC's popular entertainment program 'Strong Baseball' and its former production company Studio C1's 'Flame Baseball' copyright dispute is expected to prolong. The court has effectively recommended the suspension of 'Flame Baseball' production, but Studio C1 has contested this, leading to ongoing legal battles.

📌 Court's Reconciliation Recommendation and Conditions

The 60th Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court issued a reconciliation recommendation on October 10 regarding JTBC's injunction request against Studio C1 for copyright infringement and unfair competition.

The main conditions presented by the court are as follows:

• Video Deletion and Prohibition: Starting January 1, 2026, all 'Flame Baseball' related videos published on Studio C1's YouTube channel must be deleted, and uploading or publishing new videos is prohibited.

• Prohibition of Name Usage: The use of names such as 'Flame Baseball' or 'Flame Fighters' as titles or team names in video production and distribution is prohibited.

• Indirect Compensatory Fine: If violated, Studio C1 must pay JTBC an indirect compensatory fine of 100 million won for each day of violation.

This decision has been interpreted as effectively supporting JTBC's claims.

🚫 Studio C1 Objects to Court Decision

However, the production company of 'Flame Baseball', Studio C1, has objected to the court's decision and filed an objection through legal representation on the 27th. The reconciliation recommendation loses its effect if either party files an objection within two weeks, and due to Studio C1's objection, a re-examination of the injunction request will proceed, leading to a final decision.

🔍 Background of the Dispute and Both Sides' Stances

This legal dispute began after JTBC terminated its contract with Studio C1 over production cost settlement issues (February), and PD Jang Si-won independently launched 'Flame Baseball' through YouTube in April.

• JTBC's Claim: "'Flame Baseball' is clearly infringing on 'Strong Baseball's copyright as the format is the same despite the different title. Unfair competition that infringes on others' rights must be eradicated," and has filed a criminal complaint against Studio C1 and PD Jang Si-won, as well as a damages lawsuit.

• Studio C1's Claim: "The copyright for the program idea belongs to the creator C1, and JTBC only holds the copyright for the already filmed videos," countering and asserting the creator's rights.

Due to the objection to the court's reconciliation recommendation, the copyright dispute between both sides is expected to continue for a considerable time until the outcome of the main lawsuit is determined.