A 59-year-old woman, identified only as Cho, has been given a suspended sentence for her continued stalking of Apink’s Jeong Eun Ji. The Seoul Central District Court’s 13th Criminal Division handed down a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, on December 12th, citing violations of the law on the punishment of stalking crimes.
In addition to the suspended sentence, Cho was ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 KRW (approx. 84 USD), undergo protective supervision, complete 120 hours of community service, and attend 40 hours of classes aimed at preventing recidivism in stalking offenses.
The stalking began in 2020, with Cho reportedly sending messages like, “Will you accept me as your butler or wife?” and even delivering food. In May of the same year, she followed the artist on a motorcycle from Yeouido to her beauty salon. Then, in April and July of the following year, Cho Even waited outside her apartment. In July 2021, Jeong Eun Ji addressed the issue, stating, “People are coming to my house these days. It troubles the people around me. I have no respect for them.”
However, Cho’s obsession persisted. She contacted Jeong Eun Ji over 500 times through Instagram DMs and the fan social platform Bubble. In December 2021, Jeong Eun Ji suspended her Bubble activities, expressing, “It seems there are people who are overly obsessed to the point where normal life becomes impossible. I am under a lot of stress.”
The court noted, “The defendant’s messages went beyond the level of support and affection that a fan might show to a celebrity,” and “Just because the victim was on social media does not mean she consented to any form of approach or contact.” The court also pointed out the lack of remorse from Cho, stating, “Despite the victim suffering significant mental shock, pain, anxiety, and fear, the defendant denied the crimes and did not show remorse. The nature of the crime is bad.”
