Capture DBSK! SME puts in a rather late trademark application

It has been reported that SME (SM Entertainment) put in 4 applications to the Korean Patent Center to claim the names of their big name groups. Is this a simple act of trying to gain additional business, or is it an attempt to chain DBSK down to SME? On August 4th, SME put in applications to trademark the names Dong Bang Shin Ki (DBSK), So Nyeo Shi Dae(SNSD 소녀시대), Soshi, GIRL’S GENERATION, Super Junior, Suju, SHINee, etc. totaling to about 60 different names / terms / items. A brief explanation of trademark application: The intention of it is to prevent a 3rd party from gaining unjust profit by plagiarizing brands and such things. So looking from one point of view, putting in a trademark application for a singer group name could be seen as positive. But if the application goes through, it may prevent the singer from using his or her own stage name if they leave their associated companies. Entertainment patent attorney Hwang Sung Pil says: “The trademark application is meant to help a celebrities to get their rights. But entertainment companies may take advantage of this and use the trademark application to chain down the celebrities to their companies. Most entertainment companies, in fact, apply for trademark rights without informing the associated celebrities.” Of course, not all applications go through. In the case of DBSK, SME already applied for the trademark rights in 2004, but was refused. Then, why is SME applying for the trademark rights, especially when it’s in the midst of fierce controversy? What are its true intentions? Thanks to Alena for the tip!