A former employee of the content startup FastView, who has been accused of creating and distributing defamatory content against HYBE artists, has ultimately been referred to the prosecution with an opinion for indictment.

According to industry sources and law enforcement on the 22nd, the Seoul Suseo Police Station has recently transferred Mr. A, who was formerly affiliated with FastView, to the prosecution on charges of defamation and insult under the Information and Communications Network Act. Although Mr. A is a former Head of Team and has already resigned, the acknowledgment of the charges is drawing attention to the scope of the ongoing investigation.

Earlier, last year, HYBE submitted a lawsuit, judging that videos posted on the YouTube channels "People Box" and "Daisyu" maliciously defamed the company and its affiliated artists. The content included a member of ILLIT mentioning specific foods aimed at a NewJeans member and several provocative claims that have not been verified, including that HYBE artists are associated with specific religions.

HYBE requested an investigation, stating that such actions are part of a deliberate attempt to undermine specific corporations and artists through "reverse virality." In fact, many of the controversial videos have been criticized for packaging excessive speculation and unverified rumors as if they were facts, distorting public opinion.

Not stopping there, HYBE and its subsidiary labels Source Music and Belift Lab filed a civil lawsuit for damages against a total of seven channels operated by FastView in August last year. In September, they also applied for a subpoena to identify the operators of the YouTube channels at the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

A notable point in this case is whether Mr. A independently planned and executed the video. If there was guidance from the company level, the possibility cannot be ruled out that organizationally motivated defamatory content targeting specific artists was created.

Meanwhile, FastView, founded in 2015, is a content startup that operates numerous YouTube channels and online platforms, including "People Box," "Daisyu," "DeFast," "Skwang," "New Auto Post," and "Meme Media."

[Photo] HYBE logo

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