The Korean entertainment industry is plagued by fake news and rumors. In 2019, the portal site Daum disabled comments on entertainment news articles to prevent malicious comments targeting celebrities. A year later, Naver followed suit and closed the comment section on entertainment news.
Deprived of their “voice,” netizens are now exposing the private lives of celebrities in various online communities and on personal social media. Recently, actors Lee Seo Jin, Lee Jae Wook, and Hyun Bong Sik have announced strong measures against baseless rumors.
Lee Jae Wook Takes Legal Action Against False Rumors
Lee Jae Wook has found himself embroiled in unfounded allegations of cheating after making his relationship with idol star Karina public. Online rumors recently surfaced claiming he dated a top actress until December and then “cheated” on her to be with Karina.
Lee Jae Wook’s agency strongly refuted these allegations. They stated they found malicious and false posts spreading online and will take strong legal action against those responsible.
>> Lee Jae Wook Takes Legal Action Against Online Slander Surrounding His Relationship with Karina
Lee Seo Jin Suffers from “Ghostng Breakup” Rumors
Online rumors started swirling about Lee Seo Jin being the celebrity “L” who ghosted a woman he was dating. The post on an online community mentioned details that seemingly pointed towards Lee Seo Jin, including his gentle image on variety shows and the term “ghosting.” The individual who wrote the post even made a shocking claim that the celebrity requested a photo of her private body part.
Regardless of the truth, the rumors spread like wildfire, with netizens and even online media outlets picking up the story. Lee Seo Jin’s agency Antenna initially chose not to respond as the allegations were baseless but eventually decided to take action due to the growing rumors.
“We have identified malicious slander and false information about the actor being spread online, using his real name,” Antenna stated. “We will take strong legal action against anyone who creates or spreads these harmful rumors, and will fiercely protect the actor’s character and reputation.”
Hyun Bong Sik Takes Legal Action Against Ex-Girlfriend’s Accusations
Hyun Bong Sik also faced similar issues. A person claiming to be his ex-girlfriend accused him of cheating and abandoning his pet dog online, even posting alleged text messages as “proof.” Based on these claims, netizens started pointing fingers at Hyun Bong Sik.
In response, Hyun Bong Sik’s agency denied the accusations and stated they have been gathering evidence with a law firm since the rumors began. They plan to file a formal complaint against the original source of the rumors for defamation and spreading false information.
Hyun Bong Sik’s lawyer elaborated further, stating that they believe the initial person spreading the rumors first tried to extort money from Hyun Bong Sik and then resorted to spreading lies when their attempt failed. They have also requested an investigation into potential blackmail and extortion charges, along with defamation.
Rumors can have a devastating impact on celebrities, damaging their image, hindering careers, and requiring significant effort to clear their name. While celebrities often feel compelled to address false rumors, legal action is becoming the only viable option due to the difficulty of regaining public neutrality once rumors spread.
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Sadly, celebrities tend to attract this sort of negative attention. It’s nonsense of course, but that doesn’t stop it happening. It’s hurtful and can damage reputations. Hopefully, sanity will prevail and those of us who dislike this kind of behaviour can voice that. Good on the celebrities for drawing attention to it. All the best from an older Australian fan!