Rosé suddenly filed to terminate the contract, rumors of 'conflict' over money, truth?

Korean media has suggested that Rosé's withdrawal from the Korea Music Copyright Association is a sign that she is leaving the K-pop industry to pursue her career in the United States. However, industry experts have dismissed this notion.

On February 20, Korean media reported that Rosé withdrew from membership in the Korea Music Copyright Association (KOMCA). This is an organization that protects and collects royalties for more than 50,000 members. According to KOMCA, the main vocalist of BlackPink filed to terminate the copyright contract on October 31, 2024. After exactly three months, her membership agreement officially ended.

Currently, the copyright management rights of the 1997-born beauty's songs belong to Atlantic Records. Previously, in September 2024, Rosé signed an exclusive contract with this record label belonging to Warner Music Group (USA). The company monitors international copyrights through the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and the American performing rights organization Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI). This is the method used by most international artists.

Rosé is the second artist in K-pop history to do so. The first was Seo Tai-ji in 2003. The 1972-born music producer left KOMCA after the organization approved a parody version of his song Come Back Home without his consent. Seo then sued KOMCA over royalties, winning a partial victory. What's more remarkable is that the related lawsuits dragged on for 12 years.

Following the February 20 announcement, Korean media speculated that Rosé's withdrawal from KOMCA was a sign that she wanted to leave the Korean industry to focus on her career in the United States.

However, industry experts dismiss this view. They say that this decision mainly affects how Rosé handles her income, not her career direction.

“It simply means that the details of her music copyright distribution are reported and resolved through the American system. It does not significantly affect her activities,” Korean pop culture critic Jung Min Jae told The Korea Times.

Another industry insider commented, "There's no reason for Rosé to manage music copyrights in both Korea and the US. She should be paying double the fees."

According to The Korea Times, the above explanation is reasonable but not the deciding factor. Switching to the copyright management system in the US could provide a more reasonable approach for an artist with an international career.

As K-pop continues to expand its global reach, copyright management is becoming an increasingly complex issue. With most K-pop artists now earning their income from international markets, Rosé’s departure from KOMCA sets a precedent, raising questions about whether the organization can keep up with the changing needs of the industry.

While the US has long dominated the music industry, raking in global revenue for decades, the South Korean music industry has only begun to expand its influence beyond Asia in recent years, thanks to the rapid rise of K-pop.

Critic Jung said the Gone singer's decision could serve as a catalyst for other Korean artists to consider similar paths, especially stars with high international exposure.

"Only Rosé knows the exact reason behind her decision to leave KOMCA. However, from an artist's perspective, factors such as payment methods and fee structures certainly play a role. Considering these factors, Rosé's withdrawal sets a precedent for K-pop artists pursuing international careers," the expert shared.

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