G-Dragon·Yang Hyun-suk cleared of copyright law violation charges... Police conclude over a year-long investigation

G-Dragon (real name Kwon Ji-yong) and Yang Hyun-suk, YG Entertainment’s executive producer, were accused of copyright infringement but the police concluded there was no evidence of wrongdoing. The Mapo Police Station in Seoul announced that on April 7, 2024, it dismissed the case filed by composer A against G-Dragon and executive producer Yang Hyun-suk for copyright law violations, ruling ″no charges.″ After receiving the complaint, the police investigated the parties involved and conducted two raids last year at YG Entertainment’s headquarters as part of the investigation. Composer A claimed that the song ″G-DRAGON,″ which he composed and arranged, was used without permission during G-Dragon’s 2009 solo concert, and that the live performance album released the following year, Shine a Light, included the song under the title ″My Age Thirteen.″ He also stated that his name was not credited when the song title was changed. The album contains a medley titled ″My Age Thirteen + Storm + Stylish Gentleman + G-Dragon,″ where the song composed by A is listed as ″My Age Thirteen,″ and a separate song titled ″G-Dragon,″ released in 2001 by YG producer Perry, is credited separately. In response, YG Entertainment explained that during the 2009 solo concert, to distinguish between two songs with the same title, they labeled A’s ″G-DRAGON″ as ″My Age Thirteen,″ taken from the first line of the lyrics, and there was no intention of unauthorized copying of the sound source. As the investigation prolonged, A filed a complaint in November last year through the National Police Agency’s online portal, alleging that the investigation was delayed due to the involvement of a major agency and a famous singer. The police concluded that it was difficult to see any intent by G-Dragon, Yang Hyun-suk, and others to infringe copyright.