Super Junior member Choi Siwon is accelerating his legal battle against malicious commenters in Korea. A U.S. court has granted his request to disclose the personal information of 10 netizens, making it possible to identify those who posted harmful comments and claim legal compensation.
In June, Choi Siwon filed a request under 28 U.S.C. §1782 (Discovery by Foreign Litigants) with a U.S. federal court to obtain information about the malicious commenters who have harassed him on various social media platforms. In his notice to the U.S District Court, Siwon wrote: “I retained the Korean law firm to initiate a civil lawsuit in Korea for claims of insult and defamation against all ten (10) users, which was filed in May 2026.” The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Choi Siwon’s evidence discovery request on the 3rd of July.
According to a statement confirmed by Dispatch, Choi Siwon stated, “I am unable to proceed with the lawsuit in Korea because I cannot identify the users on YouTube and X.” In Korea, the identity of users and criminals is often kept hidden through mosaic images or by not revealing full names to the public.
Choi Siwon requested that user information, such as names, dates of birth, and addresses, from the platforms be revealed in court and used to properly punish the users for defamation and libel. Choi Siwon claims that 10 anonymous users posted malicious content on X and YouTube between November 11, 2025, and February 23, 2026. He described the posts as “aggressive hate comments and extremely insulting personal attacks,” referring to comments such as “Get out of Super Junior, you bastard,” “He thinks he can say anything he wants about politics on his SNS,” “Fanatical traitors like him should be exterminated immediately,” and “Are you still holding on to the title of being an idol because of your money?”
Choi Siwon further expressed his suffering, saying, “I have experienced extreme mental and psychological distress due to content that severely insults and defames me.” He further testified. “My social and professional reputation as a member of Super Junior has also been significantly damaged because of these comments.” SM Entertainment also commented on the situation, stating, “We are aware of the seriousness of the malicious posts against Choi Siwon. We have filed a lawsuit against the unlawful acts, too.” Fans responded to the situation, saying, “People should think before they type, both idols and fans,” and “Criticism can be accepted, but insults and threats should never be tolerated.”
In other news, Choi Siwon has never explicitly stated his political stance; however, he claims that political interpretations of his social media posts led to a barrage of criticism and personal attacks, mainly for his posts regarding far-right political debater Charlie Kirk. The sensitive issues surrounding his death and public opinion led to hate comments, as he indirectly revealed his political leanings through his social media posts while claiming otherwise.
After former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s first-instance sentencing to life imprisonment, Choi Siwon posted the four-character idioms ‘injustice will not be forgotten’ and ‘the world will collapse’, further suggesting his conservative right-wing stance and interest in Christian rhetoric. Recently, a night landscape photo he shared also sparked various interpretations. Speculation arose that it might have been taken near Olympic Park, where rallies for a special election were held. After being flooded with comments, the post was later deleted.
Meanwhile, the process of identity verification through overseas platforms has also been used in the K-pop industry. Jang Wonyoung used U.S. court procedures to obtain the identity of the operator of Sojang, a malicious YouTube channel operated by a woman in her late thirties, that spread various false rumors and hate comments about the idol. The operator was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for three years, and fined 200 million won (roughly $130,000).
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What do you think of the ongoing court cases of idols against malicious commenters? Is there a hard difference between critics and malicious commentators? Share your thoughts below, and be sure to watch more of your favorite K-drama stars for FREE on Amasian TV.
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