Huge Win for Pop Singer as ‘Malicious’ Troll Found Guilty of Defamation

An online commenter has been fined for spreading false information about actor and singer Lee Junho from the K-pop group 2PM. In a press release published on July 28, JYP Entertainment announced that the Seoul Western District Court had recently ruled that an individual who repeatedly circulated fabricated stories about Lee Junho was guilty of defamation and sentenced them to a fine of 3 million won (approximately $2,335), reported Soompi. Furthermore, JYP stated, “We are taking stronger measures by strengthening the monitoring route and selecting additional law firms to file complaints. We will continue to take strong measures without leniency and not overlook malicious posts or the circulation of groundless false information about our artists. We would like to express our gratitude to fans who always show support and love to the artist. As the artist’s agency, we promise that we will prioritize the safety and protection of the rights and interests of the artist and will take strong action against those acts that interfere with this by utilizing all available measures including legal sanctions.”

The agency released a statement on August 24 through its official website and Lee Junho’s official social media accounts: ‘”First, we want to express our gratitude to all the fans that have given our artist their unsparing love. We previously announced in the past that the spreading of false rumors and malicious posts about our artist would be subject to strong legal action.” JYP continued, “However, we have confirmed that these acts of serious defamation of character, including the spreading of falsehoods and rumors about our artist, have continued, and the false rumors have recently become even more severe.”

According to the agency, fans sent in many reports, and the agency’s strict monitoring of these acts helped them understand the severity of the situation. A criminal complaint was filed based on the evidence sent in by fans and the evidence they collected during extended monitoring, including deleted posts. Additionally, JYP revealed they were currently discussing with multiple law firms about taking more aggressive legal action. “This is a reminder that we will take all available legal measures against the initial perpetrator and creator of groundless falsehoods and rumors, as well as those that spread them,” JYP added. “As has been the case up until now, there will be no leniency shown under any conditions.

“Additionally, there have been frequent instances of individuals coming into excessive contact with the artist or intruding on his travels at the airport when departing or arriving for his scheduled activities. Not only does this pose a threat to the artist’s safety, but it may also cause inconvenience and damage to all the other passengers at the airport. We ask for your cooperation in preventing such incidents from occurring again. We are informing you in advance that if such threats to our artist’s safety continue, appropriate measures will inevitably be taken.” As their agency, JYP Entertainment promised to work even harder to protect the safety and rights of its artists going forward. They promised to respond firmly to acts that harm their artists, and they will take legal action if such acts occur.