Bruce Lee heir shows Chinese firm her fury
Bruce Lee Enterprises is seeking 210m yuan in damages from Real Kungfu chain
Beijing: It’s all Fists of Fury as Bruce Lee’s daughter struck back in a Chinese court at a popular fast-food chain for misappropriating the kung fu superstar’s image.
Bruce Lee Enterprises, whose legal representative is Shannon Lee, is seeking 210 million yuan ($30 million) in damages and 88,000 yuan in legal expenses from the Real Kungfu chain, in a case that could also test the Chinese government’s pledge to protect intellectual property rights.
A court in Shanghai accepted the suit in early December against Guangzhou Real Kungfu Catering Management Co. and two other related companies for portrait right infringement.
Shannon Lee is also asking the chain, called “Zhen Gongfu” in China and known for steaming its food, to immediately stop using her father’s image and to clarify for 90 days that it has nothing to do with the martial arts legend.
Real Kung fu said in a statement posted on its official Weibo account that its “baffled” by the lawsuit since it has been using the logo since 2004 and is preparing to respond.
The image is that of a dark-haired man wearing a yellow jumpsuit in a kungfu pose who looks like Bruce Lee.