[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Samsung Electronics has been sued by British singer-songwriter Dua Lipa for allegedly using her image without authorization.

According to U.S. entertainment media reports including Variety on May 9 (local time), Dua Lipa recently filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics and its U.S. subsidiary, Samsung Electronics America, with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, seeking damages of $15 million (approximately KRW 22 billion).

The complaint alleges that Samsung used Dua Lipa’s image on the front of packaging for its “Crystal UHD TV” products without obtaining permission or entering into any contractual agreement, thereby exploiting her likeness for commercial purposes. The filing also states that the artist has maintained strict standards regarding brand collaborations and has never agreed to serve as a model for mass-distributed consumer product packaging.

Dua Lipa’s legal team further emphasized that they had notified Samsung in June last year of the alleged violation of her publicity rights and requested that sales be halted, but the company allegedly failed to take appropriate action.

The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to halt sales of the product, as well as compensatory and punitive damages, in addition to full reimbursement of legal fees.

 

 

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