Earing Money by Exposing Celebrities
Channels that expose celebrities also appear in the Korean entertainment industry and can even make a lot of money
Right now, the trial of the YouTube channel Taldeok Camp (also known as Sojang) is taking place. Jang Won Young and her management company, Starship Entertainment, have pursued civil and criminal lawsuits against A, the operator of Taldeok Camp, since November 2022.
A is accused of defaming seven celebrities by posting 23 “exposé” videos on Taldeok Camp from October 2021 to June 2023. This person is also accused of uploading 19 videos criticizing the appearance of five people. A created and disseminated videos with content such as “Many celebrities are prostitutes or have undergone plastic surgery,” “RM of BTS is married,” “Nam Joo Hyuk is rude,” and “Jang Won Young of IVE is dating an older artist and is even pregnant at 19.”
Jang Won Young Filed a Lawsuit Against Taldeok Camp for Continuous False Reporting
Analysis of the Taldeok Camp account revealed that 250 million won (about 181,000 USD) in profits had been generated over about two years since June 2021, Star News Korea reported. The YouTube channel Sojang has around 60,000 subscribers and earns about 10 million won (more than 7,000 USD) monthly from ad revenue on its videos.
A used part of the earnings to purchase real estate. The prosecution received complaints from three victims, including Jang Won Young, in December 2023 and began an investigation. By May, the prosecutor received additional complaints from five more victims and requested an arrest warrant for A twice in February and April. However, the court denied the request, citing “A is not at risk of fleeing.”
During the investigation, A stated: “The videos on YouTube are merely expressions of simple opinions. The videos were made for the public interest, which is a matter of concern.”
On the other hand, a prosecution official said: “A ran the YouTube channel anonymously and tried to destroy evidence by deleting the channel. During the search and seizure of A’s residence, we found additional videos featuring other celebrities and a laptop used for video editing.”
Taldeok Camp operates similarly to “Unknown_01” in being anonymous, only incorporating images of celebrities in the videos without revealing the face. At the end of May, when attending the first trial for defaming Kang Daniel, A still disguised themselves and wore a wig to hide their identity.
The Cost of Exposure
In contrast to Taldeok Camp, the operator of the Garo Sero Institute channel, which once shocked Korean showbiz, is willing to reveal their identity. The three members running the Garo Sero Institute YouTube channel are Kim Yong Ho, Kim Se Eui, and Kang Yong Seok.
Garo Sero Institute is a channel specializing in exposing political and entertainment issues in Korea. This channel has reported on Jun Ji Hyun‘s divorce, Han Ye Seul‘s past work in an adult entertainment establishment, drug use, her husband being a gigolo, and Choi Ji Woo’s husband having an affair.
In addition to earning money from advertisements, Garo Sero Institute makes a significant profit from viewer support. Joongang reported that Kang Yong Seok, the head of Garo Sero Institute, once received 19.7 million won in donations from YouTube users through a single fundraising video.
Consequences for Garo Sero Institute
At the end of 2021, 20 police officers surrounded the Garo Sero Institute office in Gangnam and went to the homes of Kim Se Eui and Kang Yong Seok to execute arrest warrants. Garo Sero Institute was prosecuted in mid-2022, Hankook Ilbo reported. The three operators of Garo Sero Institute faced at least ten lawsuits, including complaints from actors Jun Ji Hyun and Han Ye Seul.
The Case of Sojang
The channel owner received eight complaints, including from Jang Won Young and Kang Daniel. According to Star News Korea, Jang Won Young sued the channel owner and demanded 100 million won in compensation. Jang Won Young received a favorable ruling in a trial in January. At that time, the court ordered A to pay 100 million won to Jang Won Young and cover court costs.
However, A, through their lawyer, appealed and requested a stay of execution regarding the trial result. A also took actions to evade compensation.
The appellate court then decided to mediate the case, but it failed because Jang Won Young and her management company, Starship Entertainment, insisted on no leniency.
Regarding this issue, Jang Won Young’s management company, Starship Entertainment, told Star News Korea: “We have clearly expressed our stance through legal representatives. The main purpose of this trial is for Taldeok Camp to receive a severe legal judgment. Therefore, there will be no room for negotiation.”
