Lee So-ra Wins Seizure Order Against Former Agency Over 45 Songs, Including “The Wind Blows”

45 signature songs, including “The Wind Blows,” frozen as legal action escalates over breakdown in trust

Singer Lee So-ra has begun an aggressive legal process against the head of her former agency, seeking to protect her music assets independently.

Lee’s current agency, Marehim, said on the 10th that it filed a request in February for a seizure order covering the neighboring rights to 45 major recordings, including her signature song “The Wind Blows,” against the head of her former agency. The court granted the request.

Neighboring rights are distinct from the traditional copyrights granted to songwriters and composers. They refer to the separate rights held by performers, such as singers and instrumentalists, and record producers arising from the recording and performance process. The seizure order issued by the court prevents the former agency from disposing of the neighboring rights it holds. However, the court has not issued a final ruling establishing who owns the rights, nor have they been fully transferred to Lee’s side.

Marehim said the legal action was prompted by the breakdown in trust. “Although we worked together with the former agency for a long time, after carefully reviewing the circumstances, we concluded that it was no longer possible to maintain a normal relationship of trust,” the agency said in an official statement. “We are taking the necessary legal steps to clearly resolve our remaining ties with the former agency and fully protect the artist’s legitimate interests and core music assets.”

Lee debuted in 1993 as a member of the vocal group Strange People and went solo in 1995 with the release of her first full-length album. She went on to establish herself as a singular vocalist and artist, releasing one acclaimed song after another that left a lasting mark on Korean popular music, including “I’m Happy,” “Proposal,” “The Blue in You,” “Please,” and “The Wind Blows.”