“This action was taken by an agent without consulting us first,” Starship said. “As soon as we learned about this, we reviewed the process and quickly withdrew the lawsuit.” The agency added, “We regret any confusion caused. While we aim to protect our artists’ rights, we also respect the efforts and rights of those who have run their businesses for a long time. We will be more careful to prevent such incidents in the future.”
소속 아티스트 IVE(아이브) 상표권 관련 상황 안내 pic.twitter.com/pGqLvGDB9M
— STARSHIP Ent. (@STARSHIPent) October 2, 2025
The controversy began on October 1, when Mr. Park Ki Dong, owner of a leather goods studio in Seoul, disclosed that Starship had filed a petition with the Intellectual Property Office seeking to cancel his trademark rights to “Ive Leather Goods.” Park explained that he had been using “Ive” as his English name for years and formally registered the brand across four product categories in 2019, two years before the debut of the girl group IVE. He described the trademark as an extension of a workshop passed down through his family and stressed his responsibility to protect the brand, even though his business operations had recently shifted focus.
Park shared documentation of the petition and expressed disbelief that he was being asked to relinquish both his personal and brand name. He pointed to records of collaborations, exhibitions, and government support programs as evidence of continued use of the trademark. While the business has moved away from direct consumer sales, he said it remains active through custom projects and B2B and B2G initiatives. Park confirmed that he is consulting legal counsel to contest the cancellation attempt and intends to provide proof of ongoing operations.
His post quickly went viral, drawing public criticism of Starship. Online commenters accused the agency of exploiting trademark loopholes to pressure a small business owner, with some labeling the action as “bullying.” Others argued that the situation should have been handled through negotiation or coexistence rather than legal proceedings. The outcry intensified the following day, placing pressure on the agency to respond.
This is a new low, @STARSHIPent. Srsly suing a small business for being named IVE when the name was used way be4 your group even debuted?
What do u even gain from this, aside from dragging ur group’s rep through the mud? This SSE is so fk’ dumb fr. https://t.co/qsVFeg5mNO
— wade has a secret 💌 (@ueido_) October 1, 2025
Despite the controversy, IVE continues preparations for their second world tour, SHOW WHAT I AM, scheduled for October 31 to November 2 at KSPO Dome in Seoul.
