"Privacy Invasion Due to Being a Celebrity"
[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Heo Mi-dam] Actor Joo Jin-mo (46) has been suffering from hacker threats using private data as bait after his mobile phone was hacked. In addition to Joo Jin-mo, it has been revealed that several entertainment industry workers, including actors and idol group members, have had their phones hacked, causing alarm in the entertainment industry.
On the 7th, his agency, Five Brothers Korea, announced the hacking incident involving Joo Jin-mo's phone, stating, "He is being maliciously threatened with the disclosure of personal information to media outlets simply because he is a celebrity, violating his privacy."
They added, "They have even demanded money in exchange for this," and warned of a strong response, saying, "We will take legal action based on the collected data to protect the actor's privacy and prevent further damage."
The following day, on the 8th, a media outlet reported that numerous celebrities, including two other actors, idols, directors, and famous chefs, are also being threatened by hackers.
According to the report, the hackers demanded large sums ranging from 50 million to 1 billion won by hacking text messages, videos, and photos stored on the phones. One idol among the victims reportedly paid money out of concern over the fallout from video leaks.
Netizens who learned of this responded with comments such as, "Celebrities are human too. Their privacy must be protected," "Hacking is a form of crime. Punishment levels need to be increased to prevent such incidents," and "Poor celebrities. It's really unfortunate."
On the other hand, some expressed opinions like, "If they had behaved properly from the start, celebrities wouldn't need to be so nervous," "Some celebrities must be on edge by now," and "I just saw the messenger conversations, and isn't that harsh? It's disappointing to see such language and behavior."
Meanwhile, the Cyber Safety Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency stated, "We are investigating cases where some celebrities have suffered smartphone hacking and threats."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
