[🇺🇸]aespa, BTS Among Victims as Chinese Counterfeit K-pop Goods Flood Korea

While K-pop continues to grow in global influence, authorities have uncovered large volumes of counterfeit K-pop merchandise from China being distributed in Korea.

According to data submitted by the Korea Customs Service, the most frequently seized counterfeit item between 2024 and August this year was photocards. The group most affected was IVE, with 713,593 counterfeit photocards confiscated.

They were followed by NewJeans (99,888), IU (77,344), Stray Kids (75,404), and aespa (52,967), completing the top five.

Other cases included illegally distributing mask packs that exceeded contracted production, as well as bromides and framed posters imported while disguised as official products.

Excluding photocards, BTS suffered the greatest intellectual property infringement, with over 110,000 counterfeit items seized. SEVENTEEN (2,610), (G)I-DLE (920), BLACKPINK (680), and NewJeans (720) followed. All counterfeit goods seized were confirmed to have been imported from China.

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