“Thank you to you. Thank you,” Studio C1 producer Jang Si-won declared on YouTube after surpassing one million subscribers, even as his production company faces an ongoing legal battle over the popular sports entertainment format.
The Seoul High Court Civil Division 4 will hold an appeal hearing on November 19 regarding a preliminary injunction requested by Studio C1 against JTBC and other respondents, according to court schedules. The legal dispute centers on allegations of copyright infringement and unfair competition surrounding the reality sports series formerly known as Choi-gang Yagu (Strongest Baseball) and the spin-off project Bulkkot Baseball.
Seoul District Court Denies Objection Over Injunction
The upcoming appellate hearing follows a decision by the Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 60 in February, which formally dismissed an objection filed by Studio C1. The lower court upheld its previous ruling to grant a preliminary injunction requested by JTBC in December 2025, effectively prohibiting the production and broadcasting of Bulkkot Baseball audiovisual materials and related serialized content.
Following the February dismissal, Studio C1 immediately filed an appeal, arguing that the initial tribunal ruling represented merely a provisional measure. Despite the active legal restrictions, Studio C1 proceeded with the production of a second season. Legal representatives for JTBC maintained that any unauthorized dissemination of new season content would trigger immediate supplementary legal action.
JTBC Files Criminal Complaints Against Studio C1
The core dispute erupted in early 2025 amid financial disagreements between the network and its former subcontractor. JTBC asserted that Studio C1 submitted excessive production cost claims while withholding transparent financial records. Studio C1 countered that the disputed expenses were structurally unavoidable given the scale of the production.
The conflict escalated when JTBC filed criminal complaints against Studio C1 and producer Jang Si-won, alleging violations of copyright and trademark laws alongside breach of professional duties. In its December 2025 injunction ruling, the district court sided with the network, finding that the production and transmission of Bulkkot Baseball constituted an act of unfair competition under Article 2, Item 1 of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act because it purposefully emulated a subsequent season of Choi-gang Yagu.
Studio C1 Launches Bulkkot Baseball with Original Participants
Choi-gang Yagu originally launched in June 2022 as a reality sports program featuring retired professional baseball players returning to competitive play. The show built a dedicated audience over a two-year broadcast run under Studio C1’s production team. Following the breakdown of the relationship with JTBC, Studio C1 separated from the network and launched Bulkkot Baseball independently, retaining prominent original participants including Lee Dae-ho, Park Yong-taek, and Jung Geun-woo.
JTBC subsequently restructured the original franchise for a September 2025 return, appointing former KT Wiz manager Lee Jong-beom to lead a newly branded squad called the "Breakers." While JTBC experienced fluctuations in viewership ratings during the roster overhaul, Studio C1 maintained its core viewer base through self-produced digital releases on YouTube, overcoming significant legal hurdles along the way.
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