Singers and actresses like IU are increasingly taking legal action against individuals posting malicious comments. As many agencies engage in battles against cyberbullies, their efforts are drawing increased attention.
On the 11th, EDAM Entertainment announced it had taken legal action against individuals who wrote defamatory, false, and sexually harassing posts about IU. According to reports, 96 individuals who posted malicious comments on portals, online communities, and social media platforms faced criminal and civil proceedings.
These online trolls received penalties ranging from fines to suspended sentences and probation. The agency filed additional lawsuits against those continuing to post such content. It also disclosed specific actions taken against those spreading false plagiarism accusations, baseless serious crime involvement rumors, and false information about IU’s nationality and identity.
IU has long suffered from hateful comments and fake news, and the agency’s robust response has drawn praise.
Other agencies have also become stricter against cyberbullies, leading to an increasing number of individuals being punished.
On the 20th, SM Entertainment confirmed it has taken legal action against users spreading false information, defaming, and harassing its artists like aespa, Riize, and NCT WISH through persistent online attacks.
Modhaus, representing groups such as ARTMS and tripleS, also continues to monitor, sue, and accuse cyberbullies of defamation and false information spreading online and on social media.
HYBE and its subsidiary, Belift Lab, are pursuing legal action against trolls residing overseas to impose civil and criminal sanctions.
These aggressive measures have continued since Starship Entertainment took legal action against cyber harassment of IVE’s Jang Wonyoung. “Taldeoksooyoongso,” accused of spreading groundless rumors and hateful comments about Jang, was brought to court.
Starship filed for information disclosure in a California court and sued “Taldeoksooyoongso” after obtaining personal data from Google. This led to a two-year criminal trial, which concluded with a suspended two-year prison sentence, a fine of 210 million KRW, and 120 hours of community service for “Taldeoksooyoongso.”
The discovery of this method for acquiring offender information via foreign sites has led to a continuous rise in the prosecution of trolls. Attention is now focused on whether IU’s crackdown will trigger another round of mass penalties and if these actions will effectively reduce cyberbullying.
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