NYC TikTok Creators Kimchi and Jollof Speak Out Against Unauthorized Film Adaptation of Their Story: ‘Get a Lawyer Immediately!’

An often unaddressed art crime involves authors and film producers, who take stories and then turn them into full-blown productions without consulting the people the story is based on. Kimchi and Jollof (@kimchixjollof), a pair of TikTok content creators from New York, had their story and branding allegedly stolen by a film company. Despite the pushback, the film production has not taken their film about Kimchi and Jollof down.

James and Wuruola, better known as Kimchi and Jollof, are a Korean and Nigerian couple who share their love for food and travel online. Outside of their cooking videos, most of their content revolves around their relationship as a couple. Their channel may be part of their source of income, but it’s also deeply personal to the pair.

But recently, the couple made a shocking announcement regarding a film company. Wuruola revealed, “On April 4th, we came across a 34-episode vertical series called Jollof and Kimchi.” The title isn’t slick—it clearly references the couple’s distinct branding. But the similarities don’t stop at just the jumbled-up title. Wuroula said that the plot is about a West African girl who falls in love with a Korean chef over food and finding their identity.

TikTok upset over alleged stolen brand and story

The couple felt violated, and they expressed their sentiments on Threads at first. Other people online were equally outraged for James and Wuruola.

“Kimchi and Jollof is not just a very funny title or a funny name. It took us six years to grow our platform, to work with our dream brands to showcase ourselves. Everyday we showed up and created content from our heart,” Wuruola told TikTok. Growing a brand is no joke, but to have the core identity of it be seemingly stolen by an entitled film company is violating.

Wuruola said that they tried to solve the issue offline, but the film production didn’t seem to care. Instead, the production company has only kept posting about the film as if there has never been an issue to begin with. So far, ten episodes of the drama series had already been posted online.

“We’re coming back to the channel where all of this started, and that’s TikTok.” Wuruola was tearful by the end, and James was trying to comfort her. Nevertheless, it revitalized the outrage TikTok has about the alleged unauthorized film.

Can Kimchi and Jollof sue?

One commenter who identified as an attorney said, “Get a lawyer immediately!”

Another wrote, “That one Black Mirror episode.” There are several episodes from Black Mirror that evoke the same feeling. But overall, it’s the dystopic concept of reportedly stealing the story of two real individuals without consent or consultation that reminds people of Black Mirror.

The film company may have committed trademark infringement if they did take the couple’s story without any kind of approval. The couple could file a suit to take the series down if they had trademarked their branding, Kimchi and Jollof. Even though the film production inverted the names, who they’re alluding to is obvious and is still subject to scrutiny.

There are also other possible legal means to explore, but the case of Kimchi and Jollof is unfortunately rampant. Even figures who’d long passed often have their stories distorted by movies, with film productions failing to consult the deceased person’s family and close friends.

Nevertheless, it seems that the wrath of social media is bleeding through the Jollof and Kimchi reviews on IMDb. That alone seems to be a sufficient deterrent to discourage people from watching.

(featured image: Kimchi and Jollof)

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