Singer Lee So-ra takes legal action against former agency head over embezzlement

Singer Lee So-ra, 56, has taken legal action after suffering losses from the embezzlement of tens of billions of won by the head of her former agency.

The former head of Seiren, the agency Lee was long affiliated with, identified only by the surname Kim, embezzled advance payments received from Lee's music retail distributors and performance organizers, according to Ilgan Sports on Tuesday. The embezzlement is said to total at least tens of billions of won.

Kim had worked alongside Lee for more than 20 years, including as her manager. Lee learned of the embezzlement several years ago but initially sought a quiet resolution, not wanting a long personal relationship to become a public legal dispute. When the losses remained unrecovered, Lee decided to take action.

According to Lee's agency Marehim, Lee applied in February for a court order to seize Kim's neighboring rights — related to a total of 45 tracks, including "Baramibunda" — and the court granted the request.

Neighboring rights are rights granted, on a par with copyright, to those who do not directly create a work but play a role in interpreting, performing, recording or broadcasting it to the public.

The assets subject to seizure are said to include rights associated with Lee's sixth studio album "Nunsseop Dal," which features her signature song "Baramibunda," as well as her seventh and eighth studio albums and a remake album.

"Although it was a former agency we had worked with for a long time, we concluded after weighing all the circumstances that it was no longer possible to maintain a relationship of trust," Marehim said. "We have therefore ended our relationship with the former agency and are proceeding with the necessary legal steps to protect the artist's rightful interests and musical assets."