Suzy and Lee Jun Ho Take Strong Legal Action Against Malicious Commenters: Fines Confirmed as Punishment
Those who posted malicious comments against Suzy and Lee Junho were eventually subject to legal punishment.
On July 28th, JYP Entertainment revealed the results of legal action taken against a malicious commenter who continuously posted reckless comments about Lee Jun Ho.
The Seoul Western District Court recently imposed a 3 million won fine on the perpetrator for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communication Network Utilization and Information Protection (Defamation) by persistently spreading false facts about Lee Jun Ho and seriously damaging the artist’s reputation through multiple posts.
The court stated, “The defendant repeatedly posted false content about the victim (Lee Jun Ho) with grievances in online communities. As a result, the defendant maliciously spread false facts through the information and communication network to defame the victim.”
JYP Entertainment said, “We are strengthening monitoring routes and selecting additional law firms as multiple legal representatives to respond even more strongly. As the agency, we promise to take strict and relentless measures, including legal sanctions, against baseless rumors and malicious posts about our artists in the future.”
Continuing, JYP said, “We express our gratitude to all the fans who always support and love our artist. As the agency, we prioritize the safety and rights protection of our artists, and we will firmly respond by utilizing all available measures, including legal actions, against any actions that hinder them.”
Recently, Suzy also ended a long fight with a malicious commenter in court after 8 years. On July 27th, a man in his 40s who posted malicious comments, calling Suzy the “nation’s hotel girl,” was found guilty by the Supreme Court. The Third Division of the Supreme Court confirmed the initial ruling that sentenced him to a fine of 500,000 won for defamation.
While doing so, the Supreme Court pointed out that the expression “nation’s hotel girl” implied a completely opposite image of Suzy and demeaned her in a sexual manner.
During the trial, the man claimed, “I only wrote the comment to criticize the large entertainment agency’s manipulation of public opinion, and I had no intention of insulting anyone. Even though it may have been a somewhat negative opinion, it should be acceptable under social norms.“
However, the lower court stated, “It is sufficiently considered as insulting language that could undermine the social evaluation of the victim as an individual” and sentenced him to a fine of 1 million won. However, he was acquitted in the second trial.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court evaluated that the man’s act was a demeaning expression that sexualized the victim, a female celebrity, in a way that could undermine her social evaluation, and it was difficult to view it as a legitimate criticism beyond reasonable limits. In accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision, the retrial court recognized the expression “nation’s hotel girl” as defamation and sentenced the man to a fine of 500,000 won in April.
The retrial court, following the Supreme Court’s decision, sentenced the man to a fine of 500,000 won. Thus, Suzy put an end to her 8-year lawsuit with the malicious commenter.
Source: daum.
