"Put Me in Solitary Confinement": Unusual Request Amid Fears of '10 Million Won Monthly' Threats

Kim Se-ui, the representative of the YouTube channel Hover Lab who was arrested and indicted on charges including defamation of actor Kim Soo-hyun, has reportedly been placed in solitary confinement.

It is understood that Kim has been held in a solitary cell at the Seoul Detention Center since early this month. Kim's side claims there is a risk of "private retaliation" from other victims of his alleged defamation.

On May 27, the day after Kim was arrested, YouTuber Eun Hyun-jang issued a warning during a live broadcast, saying, "Se-ui, don't think you'll have an easy time in prison."

Eun hinted at private retaliation against Kim, stating, "I ask the head of the prison cell to send me a letter," and added, "I will deposit 2 million won, and if the cell head works hard, I will provide 10 million won every month until Kim Se-ui breaks out of prison."

Eun, who operates the YouTube channel 'God of Business,' previously sued Kim for defamation, alleging that Kim spread false rumors about him regarding "stock price manipulation."

On June 26, Eun also announced that he had filed for a provisional attachment of 100 million won on Kim's prison deposit account, stating, "Since today is Kim Se-ui's birthday, I couldn't help but give him a gift."

While detention centers typically house inmates in shared cells, they may assign solitary confinement after following relevant procedures if it is deemed necessary for the protection of the inmate or the maintenance of order within the correctional facility.

An official from the correctional authorities stated, "We cannot disclose the background regarding the solitary confinement at the detention center," but added, "Generally, solitary confinement cannot be assigned solely based on an inmate's request; we internally assess whether there is a necessity for it."

Kim is accused of spreading false information via YouTube and other platforms, claiming that actor Kim Soo-hyun was in a relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, and that the direct cause of Kim Sae-ron's death was pressure from Kim Soo-hyun's side to repay debts.

The first trial for the case involving the defamation of Kim Soo-hyun is scheduled for July 24.

Reported by Kim Ji-wook | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.