Dua Lipa Sues Samsung Electronics for $22 Billion…Claims Unauthorized Use of Photos

A Global Pop Icon’s Presence Becomes the Center of the Unauthorized-Use Controversy

Global pop icon 'Dua Lipa' has launched a massive legal response against global IT company 'Samsung Electronics'. The photos attached to the lawsuit are more than just marketing images—they are key evidence directly tied to the artist’s exclusive 'right of publicity'.

World-famous pop star 'Dua Lipa', who is British, filed a lawsuit against 'Samsung Electronics', seeking $15 million (about 22 billion won in KRW), claiming the company used her likeness commercially without authorization.

According to a report by U.S. entertainment outlet Variety on the 9th (local time), Dua Lipa’s legal team submitted a formal complaint to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. The lawsuit’s central issues are 'copyright' and 'trademark rights', along with 'infringement of the right of publicity'. As stated in the complaint, Samsung Electronics has been widely using images of Dua Lipa on the exterior of its TV packaging without prior permission since last year.

In particular, the Lipa side is said to have strongly demanded an immediate 'stop to photo use' right after learning of the fact, but Samsung Electronics reportedly refused, raising expectations for further fallout. The photos in question are shots taken backstage at the 2024 Austin City Limits Festival. All legal 'copyright' related to those images belongs to Dua Lipa herself.

The legal team sharply criticized the matter, saying, "There was no artist consent or prior consultation whatsoever, and the company used the face without permission for a large-scale global marketing campaign without granting any control rights."

Grammy Triple-Crown Artist vs. a Global Company—Where Will the $22 Billion Legal Fight Go?

Since her debut in 2015, 'Dua Lipa', who has won the Grammy Awards three times, has launched this tough response, sending a strong warning about the 'protection of the right of publicity' in the global entertainment industry. While major international outlets such as Variety have asked Samsung Electronics for an official statement but the company has remained silent so far, the world’s attention is focused on what precedent the outcome of this 'lawsuit in the 22 billion-won range' will set for the future marketing practices of multinational corporations.