Author So Jae-won Says Kim Se-ui of Garo Sero Institute Referred to Prosecution for Defamation, Considers 1 Billion Won Lawsuit

So Jae-won, the author of original novels for films such as "Beastie Boys," "Tunnel," and "Air Murder," announced that he is considering filing a massive damages lawsuit against Kim Se-ui, the operator of the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (Gaseyeon).

On June 15, So stated on his social media, "The decision to refer the case against Kim Se-ui, whom I had sued, has been made. Every single charge was referred to the prosecution, with no cases dismissed." He further claimed, "More importantly, I filed the lawsuit based on defamation through the dissemination of false information, and not only was every single instance recognized as false, but it was also determined that Kim Se-ui himself was aware that the information was false."

So emphasized, "I was certain that the referral decision would be made because everything Kim Se-ui said was a lie, and the result exactly matched my conviction. What is even more infuriating is that Kim Se-ui broadcasted this while knowing full well that it was false." He added, "The past year and four months felt like hell, and I felt like I was going crazy. The reality of having to protect my children's future is what helped me endure this hellish time."

So also revealed that he is considering a civil lawsuit for damages, separate from the criminal proceedings.

Mentioning that actor Kim Soo-hyun is currently pursuing a multi-billion won damages lawsuit against Kim Se-ui, So added, "As an author, I was in the top 5% in terms of income. A damages claim of 1 billion won seems entirely possible. I am aware that it might be difficult to actually receive the compensation. However, I want to show the world that those who spread fake news must never be able to make a comeback."

The incident began in February of last year when Kim Se-ui claimed in a broadcast that author So Jae-won was a nightlife establishment worker. At the time, So argued, "I have experience undercover reporting at nightlife establishments for my novel writing, but the claim that I am a nightlife worker is not true. The fact that I went undercover at a host bar for my writing is something I have already disclosed several times. 'I Was a Ten-Percent' is just the title of my novel, but Gaseyeon distorted this as if it were my actual work experience in the nightlife industry."

Meanwhile, Kim Se-ui, representative of Garo Sero Institute, was referred to the prosecution under detention for charges including manipulating the voice of the late Kim Sae-ron using AI from March to May of last year, and fabricating KakaoTalk conversations presented as evidence of a relationship to spread false information that actor Kim Soo-hyun had dated Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor.



Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon | SBS Entertainment News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.