Suzy’s Anna is now in the middle of a controversy after its director, Lee Joo Young, is planning to file a lawsuit against its streaming platform, Coupang Play.
According to reports, Joo Young is unhappy with how Coupang Play changed Anna's format, turning it from eight to six episodes. Not only that, though, the director’s legal team also alleged that the changes affected the series’ narrative, editing and more.
Lee Joo Young to Sue Coupang Play for Changes Made in Anna
Joo Young’s lawyer revealed, via AllkPop, that the series was supposed to have eight episodes, running 45 to 61 minutes each.
However, Coupang Play made changes without the knowledge and advice of the director, making it a six-episode drama.
"The changes were made to the length of the drama, but its prose, filming, editing, and narrative were all damaged by Coupang Play,” the lawyer continued.
With that said, Joo Young requested to have her name removed from the series’ credits, though Coupang Play is yet to respond to her demand.
"She didn’t agree to add her name on an edited version that was not approved, so we asked for her name to be removed from the 'director' and 'script' of the credits, but Coupang Play refused to do so,” her legal team added, via Pinkvilla. “We have also asked Coupang Play to correct the problem, but Coupang Play has not responded to anything so far.”
Thinking of Legal Action to File Against Coupang Play
They also said that “infringement of moral rights is ground for compensation.”
So, after they read Coupang Play’s statement, they thought about what kind of legal action they would file against the network.
“There is a precedent that unilaterally excludes the copyright of the author as a ground for compensation,” they explained. “Even if the work is transferred under contract, the moral right remains with the copyright holder. Coupang Play's treatment is a serious violation of the right to maintain the same identity."
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So, Joo Young also asked Coupang Play to publicly say that it wouldn’t do “unilateral edits” in the future.
The filmmaker and her team took a strong stance on the matter.
Alternatively, Coupang Play said it would release a statement about the issue soon.
Anna to Get an Extended Version
Anna ended on July 8 with six episodes, but a South Korean media outlet claimed that Coupang Play was eyeing releasing its extended version in August.
The network then confirmed the news with a statement, saying,
“An extended version of Anna will be released in August. It will be unveiled in detail with the rich stories of the characters Yoo Mi, Hyun Joo, Ji Hoon, and Ji Won. It will be a great gift to the many fans who love Anna.”
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Suzy plays the lead role of Yoo Mi in Anna. After telling a small lie, she loses her own identity and ends up living a different life. She now lives as Anna.
Other cast members who are part of the show are Kim Jun Han as Anna’s husband, Ji Hoon, Jung Eun Chae as Hyun Joo and Park Ye Young as Ji Won.
For more Anna news, stay tuned to EpicStream!