Who is protecting your music
in the North American market?
An independent music publisher bridging Korea, the United States and Canada. We manage copyrights and collect royalties across North America on behalf of Korean music creators.
From 1940s classics to contemporary K-Pop
Composers & lyricists (plus 200+ media content writers)
Included in TJ and Kumyoung machines
Rights upheld in U.S. federal court
We protect the rights
of Korean music
ELOHIM EPF USA, Inc. is an independent Music Publisher in the United States. We hold contracts with music rights publishers active in Korea and act as a collection agency for royalties arising in the Americas and Canada on behalf of Korean music creators.
Federal courts in New York and California have ruled for us in infringement actions, upholding our rights in Korean popular music performed within the United States.
- Independent Music Publisher — based in the United States
- 200K+ Copyrights — an extensive managed catalog
- Federal Court Judgments — rights upheld by U.S. federal courts
- USA & Canada — collection coverage across North America
The bridge between Korean music
and the North American market
We exercise rights delegated by Korean music publishers directly in the U.S. and Canadian markets — connecting creators in Korea with the audiences consuming their work in North America.
Creators are in Korea; the music is consumed in North America. Connecting those two is what we do.
Direct collection in the U.S. and Canada
We contract with music rights publishers active in Korea and collect royalties arising in the Americas and Canada on behalf of Korean creators.
Rights upheld by the Federal Court
A trusted partner whose rights in Korean music performed within the United States have been upheld in federal court judgments.
Protecting creators' rightful interests
50% of collected royalties is remitted to our partner music publishers in Korea and passed on to the composers and lyricists.
Rights recognized by the U.S. Federal Court
Federal courts in New York and California have ruled for Elohim in infringement actions, upholding its rights in Korean popular music performed within the United States.
Upheld in U.S. Federal Court
Statutory damages precedent
We obtained a federal court judgment of $5,000 per song in statutory damages, and have registered over 100 songs with the U.S. Copyright Office for strategic litigation.
From 1940s classics to contemporary K-Pop
We manage Korean music copyrights spanning generations and genres — from Park Chun-seok, Ban Ya-wol and Ahn Chi-haeng to Cho Yong-pil, You Hee-yeol, Kim Hyun-chul and Kang Dong-chul (Brave Brothers).
What business owners ask most
"Aren't royalties included when I buy the machine?" "Why is it more expensive than in Korea?" We answer the questions that actually come up, with the reasoning behind them.
Aren't copyright fees already included
when I purchase a TJ or Kumyoung machine?
No. The machine is only hardware — the right to use the Korean songs inside it commercially must be acquired separately.
Update FeeDoesn't the monthly new-song update fee
include copyright fees?
It does not. The update fee is a service charge for audio data; the copyright fee is the cost of the legal right to use the songs.
21 SongsIs it true that Elohim was
only recognized for 21 songs?
No. The 21 songs were a strategic registration to secure statutory damages. Under the Berne Convention our rights cover the entire managed catalog.
PricingWhy are U.S. karaoke royalties
much higher than in Korea?
Korea has roughly 83,000 karaoke venues; the Americas have about 200 to 300. Fair compensation for creators requires a higher share per establishment.
Answers at a glance
Yes, for the works Elohim administers. A license from those organizations covers only their own repertoire. Using the Korean works administered by Elohim requires a separate license from Elohim EPF USA.
Every establishment that plays, screens or lets customers sing Korean music during business hours — karaoke venues, bars, restaurants, cafés, billiard halls, beauty salons and others. Live radio and ordinary TV broadcasts are exempt.
Under the U.S. Copyright Act, for a work registered with the Copyright Office before the infringement a court may award $750 to $30,000 per work, and up to $150,000 where the infringement is found willful. A court may in its discretion award attorney's fees to the prevailing party, and claims may reach back up to three years.
It depends on business type and scale — karaoke by number of machines, room salons by number of rooms. Establishments that do not sell alcohol are set at $30 per room (or machine) per month. Exact figures are confirmed after you submit a registration form.
Establishments that register voluntarily during the notice period are not held responsible for past unauthorized use. Registration is free and submitting the form incurs no charge.
Every establishment using
Korean music must register
Karaoke bars, room salons, private room bars, general bars, Beer & Wine Bars, coffee shops, cafés, restaurants, billiard halls, beauty salons, karaoke machine importers and sellers, new song update providers — register now and operate safely.