"We Will Take Strong Action Against Defamation and Infringement of Dignity"
The agency representing Jang Wonyoung, a member of the group IVE, has partially won a civil and criminal lawsuit against the YouTube channel "Taldeoksooyongso." The agency stated, "We will continue to take strong legal action against any illegal acts that defame or infringe upon the dignity of our artists."
On June 4, Starship Entertainment, IVE's agency, released a statement saying, "Through this ruling, we believe that we have held 'Taldeoksooyongso' fully accountable under both civil and criminal law, following our legal response on behalf of our artist. We assess that the operator has been held legally liable at a level exceeding the economic gains obtained through illegal acts."
On the same day, Judge Choi Miyeong of the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 50 ruled in favor of Starship in part, ordering Park, the operator of the YouTube channel "Taldeoksooyongso," to pay 50 million won in damages to Starship.
"Taldeoksooyongso" is a YouTube channel that produces videos based on malicious rumors about idols. Since November 2022, Starship has pursued both civil and criminal legal action against the operator of "Taldeoksooyongso" for persistently slandering and defaming Jang Wonyoung, and also used the U.S. discovery process to identify the operator's real identity.
Starship stated, "This is the first case in Korea where the identity of an anonymous YouTube channel operator has been revealed and brought to court, setting a significant precedent for holding individuals accountable for malicious online acts. We believe this sends a strong warning to so-called 'cyber wreckers' who profit from content that defames, slanders, or insults others."
Additionally, the agency expressed deep gratitude to the fans, saying, "We sincerely thank all the fans who provided continuous support, tips, and information throughout this process."
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