YouTuber Sojang Ordered to Pay 50 Million Won in Damages to IVE Label for Defaming Jang Wonyoung
Court Ruling in Seoul Favors Starship Entertainment Against Defamation Content
YouTuber Sojang, known for spreading false and defamatory content about K-pop idols, has lost a damages lawsuit over videos targeting IVE’s Jang Wonyoung.
On June 4, the Seoul Central District Court (Civil Division 50) ruled in favor of Starship Entertainment, ordering Sojang to pay ₩50 million (approx. \$36,000 USD) in compensation for damaging the company’s reputation and interfering with its business.
The court stated, “The defendant’s creation and dissemination of these videos clearly harmed the plaintiff’s reputation and credibility, disrupting their business operations.”
Sojang, whose real identity was obtained through four information requests to Google, had posted defamatory videos about Jang Wonyoung since 2021. These videos featured false claims and malicious commentary, with Jang being the primary target among multiple celebrities mentioned.
Despite the channel’s substantial profits, often in the tens of millions of won per video, the court ruled that the harm to Jang’s reputation warranted legal penalties. Starship had previously announced a zero-tolerance policy and filed a civil lawsuit without leniency.
This ruling follows a similar judgment earlier this year, when Sojang was ordered to pay ₩76 million to BTS members V and Jungkook, as well as BigHit Music, in another defamation case.
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