Kim Ki-duk Loses 1 Billion Won Defamation Suit Against 'MeToo' Actress and MBC

Director Kim Ki-duk answering reporters' questions. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Film director Kim Ki-duk (60) lost a damages claim lawsuit he filed against an actress who accused him of sexual assault and the media that reported it.

The Civil Division 12 of the Seoul Western District Court (Presiding Judge Jung Eun-young) ruled on the 28th to dismiss all of the plaintiff Kim's claims in the 1 billion KRW damages lawsuit against actress A and MBC, and ordered the plaintiff to bear the litigation costs.

MBC's PD Notebook aired the episode "The True Face of a Master" in March 2018, which exposed Kim's sexual harassment. In March last year, Kim filed a damages lawsuit seeking 1 billion KRW against A and MBC, claiming that they defamed his reputation by broadcasting false allegations.

A accused Kim in 2017 of assault, coercion, and injury by forced sexual molestation, stating that during the filming of a movie in 2013, Kim hit her cheek to empathize and forced her to shoot a bed scene that was not in the script. The prosecution dismissed the sexual violence charges against Kim due to insufficient evidence, and filed a summary indictment with a fine of 5 million KRW for the assault charge.

Subsequently, Kim sued A for false accusation and also sued MBC for defamation based on A's statements in the report titled "Film Director Kim Ki-duk, The True Face of a Master," but the prosecution decided not to indict them, stating that it could not be concluded as false information.

[Correction Notice] We correct the report related to the Me Too case of film director Kim Ki-duk.

This correction is made at the request of actress A, who withdrew from the film "Moebius."

Our publication reported on November 30, 2017, under the title <'Actress Assault Allegation' Director Kim Ki-duk Investigated by Prosecution>, and in about 23 reports, stated that the actress who appeared in the film "Moebius" but withdrew midway filed a criminal complaint against Kim Ki-duk, alleging that she was forced to shoot a bed scene, and reported that the actress was raped by Kim Ki-duk.

However, upon fact-checking, the actress who appeared in "Moebius" and withdrew midway only filed a criminal complaint against Kim Ki-duk for reasons such as "forcing actor Jo Jae-hyun to touch parts of her body regardless of the scenario and hitting her cheek three times," and did not file a complaint for being forced to shoot a bed scene. Furthermore, the actress was never raped by Kim Ki-duk, and the victim who testified to being raped by Kim Ki-duk is a third party. We hereby correct this.