Last Updated: April 17, 2026

MelonBeat (“we“, “us“, or “our“) operates the Korean entertainment news website at https://melonbeat.com. We respect others’ intellectual property rights and expect our users to do the same. This Copyright Policy explains how we handle copyright matters, how we use third-party content in our reporting, and how copyright holders can contact us about potential infringement.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

1. Our Original Content

All original content produced by MelonBeat, including articles, written analysis, editorials, translated text, original graphics, and site design, is the intellectual property of MelonBeat and its authors. This content is protected under applicable copyright law.

You may not reproduce, republish, redistribute, or commercially exploit our original content without our express written permission. Brief quotation with proper attribution and a link back to the original article is permitted for non-commercial purposes (such as fan blogs or news aggregation with credit).

2. Third-Party Content and Fair Use

MelonBeat is a news and commentary publication. We report on publicly available news from the Korean entertainment industry. Our use of third-party content is governed by the principles of fair use and fair dealing under applicable law.

As a news site covering K-pop and Korean entertainment, we may reference or incorporate the following types of third-party content:

  • Official press releases from Korean entertainment agencies (e.g., HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and others)
  • Public social media posts from artists and official accounts (e.g., posts from verified Instagram, Twitter/X, TikTok, or Weverse accounts)
  • Promotional materials including album artwork, official concept photos, and teaser images, used in the context of news reporting
  • Embedded videos from YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms, using those platforms’ official embed tools
  • News reported by Korean media outlets, credited and linked to the original source

When using such content, we always strive to:

  • Credit the original source or rights holder
  • Use only the minimum portion necessary for news reporting purposes
  • Add original editorial commentary, reporting value, or analysis
  • Link to original sources wherever possible
  • Remove content promptly upon a valid request from a rights holder

3. Images and Photographs

We take image rights seriously. Our image use policy is as follows:

  • We use official promotional photos released by entertainment agencies for press use
  • We use images from platforms that make content available for embedding or sharing (e.g., official agency Twitter/Instagram posts)
  • We do not use paparazzi photos or unauthorized photographs of artists in private settings
  • We do not reproduce fan-taken photos without the photographer’s permission
  • Where possible, we credit photographers and original sources directly on the image or in the caption

If you believe an image we have used belongs to you and was used without proper authorization, please contact us using the process described in Section 5 below.

4. What Is the DMCA?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) provides a legal process for copyright holders to request the removal of infringing content from online platforms.

5. How to Submit a Copyright Infringement Notice

If you believe that content on MelonBeat infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to our designated contact (see Section 6). Your notice must include all of the following:

  1. A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf
  2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed (e.g., a link to or copy of the original work)
  3. Identification of the material on MelonBeat that is claimed to be infringing, including its URL, so we can locate it
  4. Your contact information: name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address
  5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
  6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

Incomplete notices may not be actioned. We strongly recommend consulting legal counsel before submitting a DMCA notice if you are unsure whether the use constitutes infringement.

6. How We Respond to Copyright Notices

Upon receiving a complete and valid DMCA notice, we will:

  • Review the notice and the content in question promptly
  • Remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content if we determine the notice is valid
  • Notify the person who posted the content (if applicable) that it has been removed

We reserve the right to reject notices that are incomplete, abusive, or submitted in bad faith.

7. Contact Us

Email: [email protected]

Subject line: DMCA Copyright Notice – MelonBeat

Website: https://melonbeat.com

Please use “DMCA Copyright Notice” as your email subject line to ensure prompt processing. We aim to respond to all valid notices within 5–10 business days.