Somi Faces Police Investigation Despite Her Brand’s Apology

Despite her brand’s statement of apology, singer Jeon Somi is facing legal trouble over unauthorized use of the Korean Red Cross logo.

On November 7, media reports confirmed that both Somi and the CEO of Beaubble Korea, the parent company of her beauty brand GLYF, had been reported to the police for violating the Korean Red Cross Organization Act. A case has been lodged under the Seoul Seongdong Police Station.

The complaint claimed that the Beaubble CEO used the Red Cross emblem in promotional material for GLYF, violating Article 25 of the Korean Red Cross Organization Act, which stipulates that any unauthorized used of the emblem or any similar symbols can be punished with a fine of up to ₩10.0 million KRW (about $6,900 USD).

The Red Cross emblem is a public symbol designed to protect medical and relief personnel so they can operate safely in crisis situations such as war, disasters, or infectious disease outbreaks.If similar symbols are repeatedly used in commercial contexts, it can dilute the original meaning of the emblem not only among the public but also in the international community. This could undermine trust and neutrality in relief operations and shake the very foundation of the humanitarian protection system that is directly linked to saving lives.

— The complainant

GLYF previously posted an official statement about their use of the emblem, apologizing for the error. The brand also mentioned that all the products that had already been distributed had been recalled and future production of the same design had been halted.

Jeon Somi’s Beauty Brand In Hot Waters Over Unauthorized Logo Use, Issues Statement

Netizens were left baffled by this brazen oversight of GLYF’s design team.

• “Isn’t that just common sense?”
• “You’re telling me that the designer didn’t know this? How could they not?”
• “I used to think this was just a symbol too, but I found out it was a problem before because of some idol’s concept. You’re not supposed to use it carelessly… Regular people might not know, but designers or companies should. When you make something for commercial use, you really have to check every single logo.”
• “Why did they do it…”
• “You’re really not supposed to use the Red Cross symbol. I get it if someone genuinely doesn’t know, but if it’s an official brand using it to make money and they still don’t know, lol, that kind of ignorance is a crime too.”