미 기독교 메탈밴드 ‘디먼헌터’, 케네헌에 상표권 침해 소송

The popular Netflix animated movie "K-Pop Demons Hunter" (hereinafter K-Demon Hunter) has been embroiled in a trademark infringement lawsuit from an American Christian metal band. According to reports from American EL with BBC News, the American Christian metal band "Demon Hunter" (Demon Hunter) filed a trademark and unfair competition-related lawsuit against Netflix, Netflix Studios, and AEG Presents on the 18th in the California federal district court.

This follows the successful 25-year-long activity of the band, who claim their band name and a movie with a similar title, K-Demon Hunter, have caused significant confusion among consumers. The band's representatives argue that the popularity of K-Demon Hunter has led to instances where their name is confused with theirs. The band "Demon Hunter" was founded in Seattle by brothers Ryan and Don Clark in 2000, and since then, they have released 12 regular albums.

Their record label registered the trademark "Demon Hunter" for live performances in 2014, and a trademark protection application for albums and merchandise was filed in 2022. All of these actions were taken before the release of K-Demon Hunter. The band provided an email from a ticket purchase on February this year in New York, indicating that they had mistakenly purchased tickets for a K-Demon Hunter concert for their young children, believing it to be a K-Demon Hunter concert.

Another example cited by the band is when a producer of a television program requested an interview with K-Demon Hunter's composer, Yoon-gahn, after K-Demon Hunter won an Academy Award for "Gold" in the same year. The band claims that the defendants' unlawful actions have obscured their identity in terms of music, live tours, and merchandise, and that the defendants have taken away their control over commercial identity.

They stress that their 25-year-old brand is now at risk of extinction. Furthermore, the band argues that Netflix has no right to use the name "K-Demon Hunter" for albums, live performances, and merchandise, just like they cannot use "K-Pop Metallica" and "K-Pop U2" trademarks for music, live performances, and merchandise. The band seeks a halt to Netflix's use of the name "K-Demon Hunter" and demands unspecified damages.

Netflix responded by stating that the allegations are baseless. Netflix has filed 10 trademark applications for "K-Pop Demons Hunter" in the US Patent and Trademark Office, with the purpose of product launch, as of August 2025. Netflix's animated series "K-Demon Hunter" tells the story of the band's journey, and it has gained global popularity, with Netflix announcing plans for a global live tour next year.