Hit K-drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo writer loses appeal over Netflix-related fees

SEOUL – The writer of South Korea’s hit cable series Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022) has lost an appeal over additional pay tied to the show’s Netflix release. And industry officials say the ruling reflects a broader grey area in how older contracts are received in the streaming era.

The writer, who was not identified in South Korean media, had filed a suit against the legal drama’s production company Astory, seeking secondary usage fees tied to the show’s streaming release. The show is credited to screenwriter Moon Ji-won.

According to the writer in the suit, the October 2019 scriptwriting contract with Astory was premised on traditional television broadcasting. The contention was that the subsequent sale of streaming rights to Netflix in 2021 constituted a separate, secondary use of the work.

On that basis, the writer sought additional fees, along with damages for delayed payment.

The Seoul Western District Court rejected those claims in its initial ruling in 2025, finding that the contract did not limit distribution to a specific medium. The court noted that by late 2019, streaming had already become a standard distribution channel alongside linear broadcasting, making it reasonable to interpret the agreement as covering both.

An appeal was filed, and on April 1, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s decision and dismissed the claim. The ruling stated that references to “broadcasting” within certain clauses did not preclude broader forms of transmission, including streaming.

It also pointed to surrounding circumstances, including the writer’s lack of objection at the time of the Netflix deal, prior discussions about developing the project as a Netflix original, and subsequent contract negotiations, as evidence that the agreement was not intended to be limited to television alone.

The ruling underscores an ongoing grey area in the industry as it continues to reconcile legacy contract frameworks with the rapid rise of streaming platforms.

“One interesting question the lawsuit raised was how to define streaming platforms, whether they are an extension of traditional broadcasting or a distinct distribution channel,” a media industry official said, on condition of anonymity.

“In the Korean media industry, it remains a point of contention among creators, particularly given how quickly streaming has grown into a dominant force, outpacing conventional television in many respects,” she added. “Legal frameworks around the issue are still taking shape, and with streaming growing rapidly, it’s essential to establish clear rules quickly to prevent further confusion and disputes.”

Extraordinary Attorney Woo starred actress Park Eun-bin as Woo Young-woo, a savant rookie lawyer with autism. The cast included actors Kang Tae-oh as her colleague and love interest Lee Joon-ho, and Kang Ki-young as her mentor Jung Myung-seok.

The series aired on South Korean cable network ENA from June to August 2022, growing from a 0.9 per cent premiere rating to a 17.5 per cent finale, and becoming a breakout hit in the country.

The series also gained traction on Netflix, topping the platform’s global non-English TV rankings within a month of release. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK