JYP Entertainment sues OneSync Media over alleged copying of HAN "back to life" sound recording and false CMI

The complaint

JYP Entertainment Corporation v. Miles Gaines, an individual, and OneSync Media LLC, No. 2:26-cv-12960 (C.D. Cal., Western Division), was filed November 4, 2026, ECF No. 1 (14 pages), with a jury demand. JYP Entertainment Corporation is described as a Republic of Korea corporation based in Seoul that operates as a record label and talent agency, including for Stray Kids. The individual defendant, Miles Gaines, is alleged, on information and belief, to reside in Los Angeles County, California. OneSync is alleged, on information and belief, to be a California limited liability company based in Santa Monica, California, and the complaint says Gaines is a member/manager of OneSync and publicly presents himself as its Founder and CEO.

The work

The complaint says JYP owns the copyright in the sound recording of "back to life" performed by Han Ji-sung (HAN) of Stray Kids, that JYP is a joint author with HAN and owns HAN's interest by written agreement and Korean law, and that the recording was registered as Copyright Registration No. SR-1-083-143 on October 15, 2026, with an effective date of August 7, 2026. The Copyright Office public record for Registration No. SR-1-083-143 shows a published sound recording titled "back to life," with a registration date of August 7, 2026, listing Ji-sung Han as an author, JYP Entertainment Corporation as an author (employer for hire) and as claimant by transfer by written agreement, and a first publication date of May 9, 2026, in South Korea. The complaint says JYP first published a pre-release of the recording on May 9, 2026 (Korea Standard Time) on its official YouTube channel under the title "HAN 'back to life' | [Stray Kids: SKZ-PLAYER]."

What the complaint alleges

The complaint alleges that the defendants copied the pre-release track and, on or around May 13, 2026, uploaded it under the same title through a music distributor for posting on Spotify, Apple Music/iTunes, YouTube, YouTube Music, and the audio libraries of Instagram and TikTok, credited to "yungzzz," and that they provided false CMI identifying "yungzzz" as the author, performer, and owner, including a phonogram notice in that name on Apple Music. It says a distributor identified Gaines as the person behind the "yungzzz" account. It alleges, on information and belief, that the defendants intentionally removed or altered the CMI identifying HAN as performer and JYP as owner, that Gaines copied and delivered the recording personally on behalf of OneSync, and that the defendants knew the substituted CMI was false because they knew they did not author, perform, or own the recording.

Claims and relief

Count I is direct copyright infringement under 17 U.S.C. §§ 106 and 501. Count II is violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 1202, for falsification, removal, and alteration of copyright management information. The prayer seeks judgment that the defendants willfully infringed and violated § 1202; an injunction under 17 U.S.C. § 502 and § 1203(b)(1); statutory damages under § 504(c) or actual damages and profits under § 504(b); statutory damages under § 1203(c)(3)(B) or actual damages and profits under § 1203(c)(2); costs and attorneys' fees under §§ 505 and 1203(b)(4)-(5); interest; and other relief.