YouTuber Gets Suspended Prison Term for Defaming 7 Stars Including IVE JANGWONYOUNG

The operator of the YouTube channel “Unfan Rehab” (literal translation) has received a suspended prison sentence, a ruling now finalized by South Korea’s Supreme Court.

On the 29th, the Supreme Court’s Second Division dismissed the appeal of the channel’s operator, identified as Defendant (38), upholding a lower court’s verdict for defamation and insult under the Information and Communications Network Act. The finalized sentence: two years in prison, suspended for three years, 120 hours of community service, and a forfeiture order of roughly 200 million won. 

Prosecutors said Defendant uploaded 23 videos from October 2021 to June 2023 targeting seven public figures, including celebrities and influencers, spreading false claims and malicious rumors. Investigators also found multiple clips that mocked or demeaned the victims’ appearances.

Over roughly two years, the channel reportedly pulled in about 250 million won through paid memberships and other monetization. Authorities said Defendant used the illicit proceeds to acquire real estate and grow personal assets. The YouTube channel has since been deleted.

A trial court cited the “planned and repeated nature” of the offense and the serious emotional harm to victims in handing down the suspended prison term. Both the prosecution and Defendant appealed the sentence as unfair, but the appellate court rejected the challenges. The Supreme Court affirmed, finding no error in law or fact-finding.

Separately from the criminal case, JANGWONYOUNG pursued civil damages. In a suit she filed individually, the court ordered Defendant to pay 50 million won. A separate damages claim by her agency, Starship Entertainment, concluded through compulsory mediation.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)