Volume 13, Number 1/2

Analysis of Media Discourse on Intellectual Property Rights Related to Metaverse in Korea

  Authors

Ye-Sol Seo¹, Hyo-Min Kim¹ and Austin Kang², ¹Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Republic of Korea,
²Seoul National University, Republic of Korea

  Abstract

This study examines the evolving discourse on intellectual property rights (IPR) within the metaverse's Korean context, facilitated by the BIGKinds analytics program. As the metaverse transitions from a nascent concept to a complex reality, it reshapes digital interactions and poses new challenges for IPR, necessitating a comprehensive investigation into societal interest and legal discourse. The findings reveal a significant surge in metaverse-related IPR engagement over the past three years, aligning with the broader digital shift amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This pattern suggests an increasing need for nuanced legal approaches to copyright, trademark, and design patent protection in virtual environments. Thus, the urgency for legal reform to accommodate the metaverse's unique characteristics, the necessity for international collaboration on IPR in a borderless digital domain, and the intersection of technological advances, like NFTs and blockchain, with legal frameworks impacting creators' rights. As a result, this study provides policymakers and the digital community with real-time guidance on protecting intellectual property amid the transformative growth of the metaverse.

  Keywords

Metaverse, Intellectual property rights, BIGKinds, Discourse