Yue Hua Entertainment
K-pop singer Yena, known as Choi Yena in Korea, has found herself embroiled in a storm of controversy after the release of her latest music video for the song "Hate Rodrigo." The cheeky homage to American pop star Olivia Rodrigo took a sour turn, leading to the video being taken down following accusations and legal concerns.
Yena's highly anticipated single, featuring a collaboration with her best friend Yuqi from the girl group (G)I-DLE, was released on Tuesday along with an accompanying music video. The lyrics, partly penned by Yena herself, express the singer's playful jealousy towards her greatest idol.
However, what was meant to be a homage quickly turned into a source of contention. The music video, which featured images and imitations of Olivia Rodrigo, raised eyebrows and sparked a series of controversies surrounding references to Rodrigo's past concepts. Additionally, criticism was directed at the inappropriate naming of the song, placing "hate" in front of someone's name.
As the controversies escalated, the music video was abruptly made private on YouTube on Thursday. Yena's agency, Yue Hua Entertainment, initially remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind this decision, fueling speculation that the removal was at the request of Olivia Rodrigo herself.
Finally breaking their silence on Friday, the agency denied the rumors of Rodrigo's involvement and offered an explanation for the video's removal. Yue Hua Entertainment stated that potential violations of trademark rights, portrait rights, and copyright were discovered within the music video, prompting its removal from the public domain. The company assured fans that the video would be re-released once the necessary edits had been made.
However, the agency refrained from commenting on the other controversies surrounding the song's title and concept, leaving those issues unresolved.
Despite the mounting hostility, Yena continued with her promotional activities for the song, maintaining silence on the controversies. Unfortunately, this approach only served to amplify the public backlash.
On Saturday, the singer was forced to cancel her shoot for MBC's "Show! Music Core" due to ill health. Yena's agency shared the news, expressing a plea for understanding regarding the frequent changes in schedule and assuring fans of their commitment to the artist's well-being.
The fallout from Yena's attempt to pay homage to her idol Olivia Rodrigo has highlighted the challenges of navigating artistic boundaries and copyright considerations in the global music landscape. As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Yena and her agency will address the remaining concerns and regain the trust of their audience.
Sayart.net
Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com
