The Seoul Western District Court dismissed a request to ban the screening of the film 'The King and the Clown,' which was accused of plagiarizing the script of the drama 'Eom Heung-do.'
On July 23, the court's 21st Civil Division, led by Judge Shin Myung-hee, rejected the injunction filed by the heirs of the drama's scriptwriter against the film's co-producers, Onda Works and BA Entertainment, as well as the distributor, Showbox.
The production companies are allowed to screen the film on aircraft and ships, as well as provide it through OTT (over-the-top streaming services) and DVDs, without export restrictions.
The court found no substantial similarities between the submitted script and the film 'The King and the Clown.' It stated, "The heirs' script centers on a 'Confucian loyalty narrative' as its core emotional theme, maintaining a consistent tone of loyalty and dedication to King Danjong from beginning to end."
In contrast, the film 'The King and the Clown' focuses on the theme of change and growth through the interactions between Danjong, Eom Heung-do, and the villagers, asserting that "the themes, narrative structure, and character settings of the two works are entirely different."
The court acknowledged that both works are based on historical facts and real characters, which may lead to some similarities, but emphasized that the relationship between Danjong and Eom Heung-do, the overall plot, and the main themes are completely distinct. It also noted, "There is no evidence to prove that Director Jang had access to the heirs' script."
Previously, allegations had emerged that 'The King and the Clown' plagiarized the script of the drama 'Eom Heung-do,' which aired in the 2000s. The film has attracted a total of 16.88 million viewers, making it the second highest-grossing domestic release, following 'Ode to My Father' with 17.61 million viewers.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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