W. Lab files counter lawsuit against artist Yoshimoto Nara regarding copyright infringement claims

South Korea-based cosmetic company W. Lab has filed a counter lawsuit against Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara to a claim of copyright infringement.

Nara claimed he notified W. Lab in a letter in December 2016 that the company's makeup product W-Honey Beam Cushion featured a drawing that resembled his own work, reported Artasiapacific.com. The letter urged the company to recall and destroy any existing products, as well as modify its future product packaging. In addition, Nara requested compensation.

W. Lab has filed a counter lawsuit against Nara in a South Korean court, seeking claim of ownership over the design.

Nara has been an artist since the 1980s and his drawings, paintings, and sculptures are exhibited in several countries across Europe, North America, and Asia.

W.Lab launched W-Honey Beam Cushion in 2015. The company has refuted Nara's allegations and claimed that the drawing was made by its internal design team.

Nara, meanwhile, was quoted by Artasiapacific.com as saying that the concerns were not just regarding the compensation in monetary terms but also about the rights of artists.