K-Pop Stars Accuse Sony of Unauthorized Song Use in ‘The Interview’

Producers behind embattled movie The Interview have been accused of using a song by South Korean pop stars without permission.

The comedy, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, follows the story of a journalist and his sidekick who are hired to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Sony Pictures bosses pulled the movie earlier this month amid threats to cinema-goers’ safety, but its Christmas Day release date was reinstated after they changed their minds.

The movie has now been hit with a further setback – South Korean singers Tiger JK and Yoon Mi-rae have accused production bosses of using a snippet of their duet Pay Day without permission.

A statement from their representative reads:

“There were initial discussions about including the song in the film score, but negotiations stopped so we were under the impression that it wasn’t happening… It was only after the film was released that we became aware of the song’s unauthorized use, without taking the appropriate and necessary steps to complete a contract with the artists.

“The artists were also hesitant about authorizing the use of the music, as the film is a very sensitive topic in Korea, so they are very surprised.”

The singers are now preparing to take legal action against officials at DFSB Kollective, who handled talks with Sony Pictures bosses over the music rights.

The Interview took $1 million (£667,000) at the North American box office on Christmas Day despite its limited release.

Photo Credit: Sony Pictures