Actor Kim Soo-hyun has drawn a knife against malicious commenters and cyber wreckers.
On the 15th, the agency Gold Medalist stated, "Recently, malicious posts and comments, as well as false information targeting our artist Kim Soo-hyun, have been indiscriminately posted and spread online," and posted a lengthy statement.
The agency stated, "In particular, baseless speculative posts and claims that are not verified as facts are being continuously and repeatedly published, leading the public to have a wrong perception and damaging the artist's reputation," and noted, "Malicious slander, dissemination of false information, personal attacks, and sexual harassment that are rampant in online communities and social media should not be taken lightly as criminal acts."
Moreover, the agency stated, "Based on active reports from fans and our own monitoring, we submitted a complaint to the investigative agency on the 14th for charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and insult under the Criminal Act."
Earlier, the late Kim Sae-ron was found dead at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on Feb. 16. After the funeral, the bereaved family claimed through the YouTube channel "Garosero Research Institute" (abbreviated as "Gaseyeon") that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with the deceased since she was 15 years old for six years.
In response, Kim Soo-hyun's side denied the claims, calling it "a clear falsehood that cannot be tolerated," but amid the flood of revelations, acknowledged the relationship by stating, "We dated from the summer of 2019, after Kim Sae-ron became an adult, until the fall of 2020."
In light of Kim Soo-hyun's denial of underage dating, the family of Kim Sae-ron held a press conference to reveal KakaoTalk evidence to prove the underage relationship and the deceased’s handwritten letter. However, Kim Soo-hyun held a press conference and directly denied the allegations, stating, "I did not have a relationship when the deceased was a minor."
Additionally, Kim Soo-hyun's side announced that they have filed a suit against the bereaved family of Kim Sae-ron, as well as an unidentified person, for defamation due to the dissemination of false information using the information and communications network, and have filed a damages lawsuit claiming about 12 billion won.
As their public relations battle has entered the legal arena, Kim Soo-hyun's side announced plans to take a firm stance against malicious comments and fake news by filing complaints.
Furthermore, Gold Medalist remarked, "The behavior of 'cyber wreckers' who create fake news and lead to cyberbullying by utilizing anonymity is also serious," and added, "As the identities of the cyber wreckers have recently been revealed and legal actions are being taken, we will also respond vigorously in cooperation with overseas legal representatives against overseas platforms like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter)."
Finally, the agency said, "We will continue to file additional complaints against malicious posts that damage the artist's reputation, and we will do our best to protect the artist's rights through strong legal measures against clear criminal acts."
[Photo] OSEN DB
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