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| Attendees of the 25th World Scout Jamboree enjoy the "K-Pop Super Live" concert in Seoul World Cup Stadium, Aug. 11. Yonhap |
By Pyo Kyung-min
The original vocalist of the song "Balloon," which was featured in the finale of the "K-Pop Super Live" concert for the 25th World Scout Jamboree, is demanding an apology from the concert organizers for attributing the song to TVXQ! instead of acknowledging his band, Five Fingers, the original creator of the anthem.
The concert was organized to mark the conclusion of the Jamboree at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong, Aug. 11. All 19 participating music acts, including NCT Dream, NewJeans and IVE, united to perform the song.
Lee Doo-heon, leader of the 1980s Korean band, Five Fingers, posted a message about his concerns on Facebook after the show. He raised questions about how organizers obtained the original artists' permission for using the song and questioned the decision to credit TVXQ! as the original artist when it was, in fact, Five Fingers' creation. He stated, "I am definitely demanding an apology for this."
Five Fingers originally released "Balloon" on their second album in 1986. In 2006, TVXQ!, a group prominent in the early 2000s, remade the song and it gained immense popularity.
The recent controversy arose when KBS, the broadcaster of the concert, labeled "Balloon" as an original TVXQ! track in its subtitles.
Two days later, Lee elaborated on his concerns, sharing his conversation with Chu Ga-yeoul, the chairman of the Korean Music Copyright Association. While no legal discrepancies were found, Lee continued to emphasize his objection to the inaccurate attribution.
"I have been told that labeling 'Balloon' as a TVXQ! original, especially when using either the instrumental track of Five Fingers or an unedited version of TVXQ!, is highly inaccurate but not illegal," he said. "I consider this entire situation to be utter nonsense."
He added, "My primary concern lies in the overall perception of creators and performers in the public eye. Though it may appear to revolve around a single song, my goal is to advocate for a future where the rights of creators and performers are equally safeguarded."
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