Korean writers held a rally in support of the Writers Guild of America ( WGA ) , which is on strike criticizing unfair contracts with global OTT (online video service) companies. They were concerned that unfair practices already common in domestic broadcasting companies and production companies would become serious with the development of OTT and AI (artificial intelligence). Writers from all over the world sympathized with the unstable work environment of writers around the world and supported the strike.On the afternoon of the 14th , the Screenwriters Guild of Korea ( SGK ), the Webtoon Writers Union, the Broadcasting Authors Branch of the National Press Union, and the Korean Council of the International Office Workers Union held a solidarity demonstration in support of the strike by the Writers Guild of America in front of the Netflix Korea branch building in Jongno-gu, Seoul.On the 2nd of last month (local time), the WGA went on a massive strike with 11,500 union members. They are demanding that global streaming companies guarantee appropriate writing time, environment, and fair compensation to writers. It argued that the text generated by AI is only basic data for the author’s writing and not ‘language copyright’ , and that the use of AI in script work should be regulated.
Korean writers who gathered at the protest site on the 14th argued that the unfair practices taking place in domestic broadcasting companies and production companies would become serious with the development of OTT and AI . They described a situation in which production companies instruct writers to revise drafts of scripts created by AI , criticizing AI as a tool of exploitation that robs writers of their creativity .
Ha Shin-ah, head of the Webtoon Writers Union, mentioned the case of the CEO of Lezhin Comics stealing the copyright of a minor writer or the copyright of a black rubber shoe writer. Han Hee-seong, CEO of Lezhin Comics, signed a webtoon serial contract with a webtoon writer who was 17 years old in 2013, and then left the author with his pen name ‘Lezhin’ and took 15-30% of the copyright revenue. The first and second trial courts sentenced Han to a fine of 10 million won. The late Lee Woo-young, who drew the cartoon ‘Black Rubber Shoes’, ended his life in March last year after a conflict with the head of the production company over a copyright-related lawsuit.
Chairman Ha said, “In the future, more cunning cheating will occur.” “If AI puts out a draft that anyone can think of, it will be possible to hire a writer with the draft and say, ‘I wrote the draft, so you don’t have copyright.’ ” he pointed out. In addition
, he said, ” AI can catch up to drafts , but it cannot produce a work with a proper degree of completion. In the end, it is the artist who corrects the draft . It is being used as a tool of exploitation to easily make creations the company’s.” Lee Seung-hyun, a member of the Screenwriters Guild of Korea, said, ” The draft of AI is nothing more than a collection of existing works and sentences on the Internet, so it cannot be a literary work.” Therefore, to them, the draft drawn by AI is also스포츠토토 seen as text. However, from the perspective of the writer who adapts the draft, it must be revised from the beginning. (The production company) entrusts the draft created by AI to the writer at a very low unit price, and the writer He pointed out that a situation arises in which the screenplay has to be rewritten from beginning to end for very little money.”
Points were also raised about unfair practices taking place at domestic broadcasting companies. Kim Soon-mi, director of policy at the Broadcasting Writers’ Department of the Union of Press, said, “Many broadcasting companies still sign contracts with broadcasting writers as freelancers and write contracts that state that ‘copyright belongs to the broadcasting company’ . ” Local broadcasters have not paid reruns and royalties to writers for decades.” Choi Jeong-sik, secretary general of the Korea Association of International Office Workers Union, said , “Korea will not neglect the current situation, and we need
new legislation and policies that fit the current reality.” We plan to include the demands of artists and creators together. In the future, we plan to actively support and solidarity in opening a new chapter by collaborating with the Broadcasting Writers Branch, Scenario Writers Branch, and Webtoon Writers Branch.”
In addition, ” An industry report came out that the OTT industry’s expected revenue in 2025 was $228 billion. In 2021, Netflix made a profit of $5.6 billion,” he said. They are not properly compensated. We must make this part a reality and give fair compensation.”
Korean writers’ organizations said, “The predatory business model started by Netflix, the leader in streaming, is spreading all over the world and threatening the foundation of the video industry.” We will not stop our efforts to protect our right to continue creating within the world.”
The government and the National Assembly also said, ” Do not just shout the empty slogan of ‘nurturing K-content’, but revise the Copyright Act of 1987 in accordance with the global standard. ” Please allow compensation in proportion to the amount of work used.”Meanwhile, writers from 23 countries around the world, including London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Barcelona, Mexico City, and Buenos Aires, shouted ‘Screenwriters Everywhere’ and protested simultaneously on June 14 based on their own time. went out to