Company caught running ‘binge-watch’ YouTube channels without copyright permission

A South Korean video production company turned full movie and drama summaries into an organized business, police said, operating 26 YouTube channels without permission from copyright holders.

The Yangsan Police Station in South Gyeongsang Province booked the company’s 30-year-old representative, identified only by his surname initial, and seven others without detention on copyright infringement allegations. Police said the representative founded a production company in Incheon in 2023 after uploading videos summarizing entire films on YouTube since 2019.

The operation reportedly used separate teams for scriptwriting, video editing and financial administration. Its videos preserved the original plots, characters and developments, then compressed the full story, including the ending, into 10-to-15-minute installments. The channels attracted 1.46 million subscribers. Each video averaged 530,000 views, while one reached 6.3 million views.

Accounting records obtained by police showed more than 3.745 billion won in alleged improper earnings during the 20 months from August 2024 through April. When copyright complaints resulted in a channel being shut down, the operators allegedly opened new channels and continued uploading videos.

A Yangsan police investigator said many popular film and drama summary channels operate legally after obtaining permission and undergoing review by copyright holders. The investigator said the company not only lacked permission but also clearly infringed intellectual property rights by revealing the endings. Police applied to preserve the alleged proceeds before possible indictment.

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Many film and drama summary channels on YouTube are popular, but most channels upload legitimate videos after obtaining permission from copyright holders and going through review. G did not obtain permission, and clearly infringed the copyright holders’ intellectual property rights by showing the endings.