103 – Plagiarism Controversy (3)
A woman named Moeko Machiyama’s Ghostwriter came to the GI Productions Japanese branch office.
As soon as I first saw her, I thought she really was this kind of woman, and her hair wasn’t usually shaggy.
Her bangs were covering both of her eyes, as if she hadn’t gone to the hair salon to get them trimmed in recent years.
… Only the tip of her nose and mouth are visible on her face.
Her length is so long that it almost reaches her buttocks.
Reporter Hiko Saka, who came with her, opened her mouth.
“This is Sayo Yabusaki. “It is said that I have known Moeko Machiyama since she was in elementary school.”
After hearing the interpreter speak Korean, I nodded.
This is what we commonly refer to as childhood friends.
From what we know, it all started when Moeko Machiyama entered a composition contest in her middle school days and won the prize.
Sayo Yabusaki composed the song on his behalf for over 10 years.
“How did she become Machiyama’s ghost writer?”
Since she won the songwriting competition, she just had to go out on her own.
At the moment, I couldn’t understand why she gave all of her songs to Moeko Yama, and she even gave her her plaque.
“They say that when you stand in front of others, your body becomes stiff. And at that time, she said that Mr. Yama was having a hard time, and she wanted to help him as a way of repaying her kindness.”
“Grace?”
I heard how Moeko Machiyama and Sayo Yabusaki first met in elementary school.
In short, Sayo Yabusaki, who had no money at home and was playing the piano for fun in her music room out of consideration for her teacher, was accidentally discovered by Moeko Machiyama and became her friend.
Moeko Machiyama’s family has been into music for generations, so she also received gifted education in music from her childhood.
So, it is said that Moeko Machiyama gave Sayo Yabusaki free musical instruments and taught her music theory.
“But Mr. Machiyama had a problem. Although he can play almost any musical instrument, his ability to compose music is said to be his best. “My dream is to become a composer.”
“Ah…. Mr. Yabusaki had the ability to compose music, but he was not good at standing up in front of others. So, to make up for each other’s weaknesses, Mr. Machiyama released Mr. Yabusaki’s song instead?”
“That’s right. And since Mr. Machiyama’s parents have connections in the Japanese music world, he was able to become even more famous.”
Moeko Machiyama, who swept the songwriting competition when she was in middle school, eventually began working on title songs for various singers as a professional when she was in high school.
This was something I also knew.
She didn’t know that it was all thanks to Sayo Yabusaki.
“At first, Mr. Machiyama took 40% of the money earned from the song, and Mr. Yabusaki took the remaining 60%. “40% Just thought of it as brand value.”
“40% Is not a lot, but I guess Mr. Yabusaki still pocketed the money?”
As if Moeko Yama’s career was on an upward trajectory, she never once faltered.
She was called a genius composer by both the Japanese media, but I never thought she would actually be a separate person.
But Sayo Yabu Saki shook her head.
I noticed then.
The core of this problem ultimately lies in money.
“It is said that Mr. Yabusaki completely believed only what Mr. Machiyama said. So, I believed the saying that composing music didn’t make much money, and I lived on an average monthly income of 150,000 yen.”
150,000 Yen is approximately 1,500,000 won when calculated as 1,000 won per 100 yen.
… If you take out monthly rent, various utility bills, food expenses, and taxes, there’s nothing left, right?
Considering Moeko Machiyama’s popularity, the fact that 60% of the total profits was 1.5 Million won was ridiculous.
Just looking at composer Jeong Byeong-seo’s salary…….
“So, when I complained that the situation was tight, they said they increased Mr. Yabusaki’s ratio to 70% as a favor. That’s how I received an average of 250,000 yen per month over the past few years.”
“Did you notice that Mr. Machiyama secretly stole Mr. Yabusaki in the middle?”
“That’s right. “Just based on copyright fees, Mr. Yabusaki should have received 35 million yen last year, but he actually received only 3 million yen.”
It is certainly true that Sayo Yabusaki received great help from Moeko Machiyama during her childhood.
But even so, taking a whopping 32 million yen—320 million won of our own money—was excessive.
And if there were unavoidable circumstances, it would have been appropriate to at least list Sayo Yabusaki’s name as a joint work.
“Reporter Hikosaka reported that all the songs composed on behalf of Sayo Yabusaki are registered as the property of the paper company.”
“Yes? “A paper company?”
“After receiving the profits through a paper company, he took a small amount from it and prepared the documents as if that was all the profits. “The reporter thinks it was probably also used for the purpose of reducing taxes.”
Machiyama Moeko was a multi-faceted woman, from a ghostwriter to a paper company.
500 Million a year is not a small amount of money, but it was a bit ambiguous whether it was a lot of money to set up a paper company.
… No, 500 million won is a difficult amount to go to Gangnam and find a decent apartment right away.
“Actually, I already knew that fact 5 years ago, but I just turned a blind eye to it.”
“Yes? Why?”
“Because he could make a living with just 250,000 yen, he was satisfied with his song being spread around the world.”
She said that her family was originally poor, so it seemed like she would have thought that if it weren’t for Moeko Yama, she would never have had anything to do with music in her life.
Then there seemed to be another reason.
“What made you decide to report Ms. Machiyama to her society?”
“In January of this year, Mr. Yabusaki’s father suddenly collapsed and is still hospitalized. “His mother died when Yabusaki was young, so his father raised Yabusaki alone.”
Situation requiring urgent power.
And Sayo Yabusaki knew that Moeko Machiyama was hitting in the middle.
So, I asked for at least some money for her father’s hospital expenses, but was refused.
“I understand the situation. “Is there any evidence to prove that all the songs released under Mr. Machiyama’s name are Yabusaki’s songs?”
Everything I have said so far is Sayo Yabusaki’s one-sided argument.
… It was as if I had given Moeko Yama a rag-golem-like song on purpose to screw her up, and it almost caused quite a bit of damage to her flames.
Therefore, there was a need for even more rigorous verification.
“This is a hard disk containing composition project files. “I’ve made a triple backup just in case, so feel free to check.”
Reporter Hikosaka handed me an external hard drive.
After uploading the project file to the company server, I told secretary Jeong Song-i to check it with composer Jeong Byeong-seo.
I don’t know much about composition programs….
After about 30 minutes, composer Jeong Byeong-seo completed the confirmation.
Sayo Yabusaki is probably the real composer.
Just in case, I asked her to improvise and just randomly pick out one line, and she did it well.
“Okay, we’ll hire Mr. Yabusaki.”
A smile spread across Sayo Yabusaki’s face after hearing the interpreter’s Japanese.
I guess she needed a stable income because of her father’s hospital bills.
The plan was to hire a full-time employee at the Japanese branch.
“Song.”
“Yes.”
“Put out a press release saying that you plan to claim damages from Moeko Machiyama, and ask your lawyer to write down a letter of proof of contents.”
***
From noble mtl dot com
A certified mail addressed to Moeko Machiyama.
Her hands trembled as she received the paper.
A request to compensate the Japanese branch of Lucky Seven Entertainment for an eye-watering amount of damages.
‘I never received a penalty or asked for it, so why do I have to compensate for their penalty?!’
The producer in charge of Yeom Seon-jeong is clearly a man named Im Boo-gil, who is a hot topic these days in both Korea and Japan.
Moeko Machiyama thought that the man was slandering her.
Tiriring—.
A call came to Moeko Machiyama’s smartphone.
I was a known reporter from a famous daily newspaper.
-Mr. Machiyama, what is your current position on this claim for compensation?
In addition to proving the contents, did you disclose it publicly to the media?
To wage war on public opinion, the man named Im Boo-gil was extremely cowardly.
And I heard that even if legal action is taken against the drama production company, it is rare for it to be taken against the individual music director.
I wanted to shout to the reporter not to call if he was going to ask such a stupid question, but
If you do that, you will be defeated in the public opinion battle.
As calmly as possible, Moeko Machiyama gave the best answer she could.
“I will also check the information I just received from Lucky Seven Entertainment, and after consulting with a lawyer, I will reveal my position.”
-Ah, not only Lucky Seven Entertainment but also the drama production company issued a statement.
“Yes? What statement… ?”
-Similarly, there is a policy for claiming compensation. Oh, Chuo Records has also come out with a press release saying they will seek compensation from the teacher.
Things grew bigger and bigger like a snowball.
Moeko Machiyama is involved in a legal battle simultaneously with three companies: Lucky Seven Entertainment, a drama production company, and Chuo Records.
After hanging up her phone, Moeko Machiyama immediately called Sayo Yabusaki.
Luckily, the connection was made in less than 5 seconds.
“Sa-sayo-chan, we’re in big trouble!”
-Oh, I saw the article.
“Really? You didn’t plagiarize that theme song, did you? Right?”
-Actually, I plagiarized.
“…… What?”
Sayo Yabusaki specifically listed which parts of which songs were copied.
There were as many as six songs.
There was not a single original element.
It was as if Yama Moeko had lost her soul, and she just remained silent with her mouth open.
If she was to pass it off to Sayo Yabusaki, she had to reveal to the world that Sayo Yabusaki was her ghostwriter.
But if that happens, even if the immediate money is resolved, I have no choice but to leave the music industry forever.
“Sayo-chan, why did you do that, huh? That’s because I urged him to hurry up… ?”
Moeko Machiyama burst into tears.
Since a lawsuit was inevitable, she wanted to know why she plagiarized.
-You know my dad is sick, right?
“Uh, yes. “I know.”
-I had no money to pay the hospital bills, so I worked two jobs. But you asked me to hurry up. I couldn’t find the time, so I just copied it. You do a lot of weaving, right?
“No matter what… ….”
-If only you had paid my dad’s hospital bills, this wouldn’t have happened.
Moeko Machiyama was furious.
What and where did you entrust the money to yourself?
“You calculated the ratio properly and gave it to me! Just because my family is rich, isn’t it too much to ask me to pay all of his hospital bills?! “I’ve bought you all kinds of expensive instruments, computers, and programs, so how can you do that?!”
-Yes, it’s all my fault. Now then, let’s end our relationship here. From now on, you can write your own songs and release them.
It was only then that Moeko Machiyama realized.
Even if I say it, I did it wrong.
If Sayo Yabusaki abandons herself here and now, there really is no answer to the future.
“I’m sorry, I was harsh. I’ll pay your hospital bills, so let go of your anger, okay? “I’ve been a bit stressed out lately, so I’ve been irritable.”
-It’s late.
“Saayo-chan! Sayo-chan!!”
No matter how many times I called or texted after that,
Sayo Yabusaki did not respond.