Overview
- Seoul’s Central District Court, which ruled on April 22, ordered the Sojang channel’s operator to pay 170 million won over defamatory videos about EXO, Red Velvet, and aespa.
- The judgment directs 130 million won to the artists for violations of their personality rights and 40 million won to SM for harm to its business and brand value.
- The court said the channel spread false information and used personal attacks that went far beyond permissible opinion and damaged the singers’ honor.
- In a related criminal case on January 15, 2025, the Incheon District Court gave the operator a two-year sentence suspended for three years, 120 hours of community service, and a forfeiture of about 211.42 million won, and appeals were later rejected.
- SM said it will keep pursuing zero-tolerance legal action against rumor channels, reflecting a broader move in Korea to use both criminal and civil law to curb online defamation.