IVE’s Jang Wonyoung defamation case: Sojang fights back, appeals 50 million KRW penalty order

The heated just fight between Starship Entertainment and the controversial YouTube channel Sojang has taken a original turn. Whereas Starship secured a first-rate glean in court docket earlier this month, the just conflict is a ways from over. The channel operator has officially filed an charm.

Essentially based on just insiders, on June 18, the operator within the support of Sojang submitted an charm. The goal is to contest the ruling handed down by the Seoul Central District Court just weeks prior. This transfer has reignited public attention on the case, which has made headlines due to its ties to a pair of the largest names in K-pop.

Starship’s glean in civil court docket

Attend on June 4, the Fiftieth Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided by Mediate Choi Mi Younger, issued a ruling. The court docket ruled in desire of Starship Entertainment of their civil lawsuit in opposition to Sojang. The court docket concluded that the YouTuber had damaged the reputation of Starship and its artists by time and again spreading faux and defamatory affirm material.

The court docket ordered Sojang’s operator to pay 50 million KRW (approx. 36,500 USD) in damages to Starship. The company had before every thing sought 100 million KRW in compensation, but the court docket settled on a partial ruling. It’s serene a transparent just victory for the firm.

Who’s Sojang, and what did they post?

The operator within the support of Sojang changed into immoral all the scheme by the K-pop fandom dwelling for posting cyberbullying-vogue affirm material. These videos aggressively focused celebrities with unverified rumors, manipulated reviews, and malicious hypothesis. From October 2021 to June 2023, the channel constructed a massive viewership. It did so by repeatedly posting videos geared toward idols admire Jang Wonyoung (IVE), BTS, EXO, aespa, and Kang Daniel.

The backlash in opposition to Sojang grew abruptly as followers and companies began pushing for accountability. Experiences later printed that the YouTuber had allegedly earned 250 million KRW (approx. 80,000 USD) by monetization all by the tip of the channel’s exercise. All over this time, they persevered to damage reputations with every add.

Quite a bit of just fronts: Civil and criminal

The civil lawsuit wasn’t the one just traipse taken. Starship and Jang Wonyoung personally pursued criminal charges in opposition to Sojang’s operator as well. The court docket, after reviewing proof and patterns of behavior, sentenced the particular particular person to two years in reformatory. Alternatively, the sentence used to be suspended for 3 years. That is a function of probation that enables the defendant to steer clear of detention heart unless extra offenses occur.

Alternatively, even that ruling has been challenged. Prosecutors possess filed an charm, expressing dissatisfaction with the suspended sentence. They bear it would no longer instruct the seriousness of the case.

In a separate damages lawsuit, Jang Wonyoung furthermore won a partial victory. The court docket ordered Sojang to pay the IVE member 50 million KRW in damages. It extra solidified that the affirm material in attach a question to used to be no longer only spoiled but legally punishable.

Other idols be half of the fight

Sojang is no longer only going by just rigidity from Starship and Jang Wonyoung. Extra proceedings are ongoing from top-tier artists and companies. They encompass BTS (BigHit Tune), EXO (SM Entertainment), aespa, and soloist Kang Daniel.

In diverse of those cases, the court docket has already sided with the idols. The court docket acknowledged that the channel’s videos had a immense plot on the mental health, image, and careers of the celebrities tantalizing.