Starship Entertainment has won a partial legal victory against controversial YouTuber '탈덕수용소' (Taldeok Suyongso), with the court ordering ₩50 million in damages.

⚖️ Court sides with Starship Entertainment

On June 4, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Starship in a civil lawsuit filed against Mr. Park, the operator behind the cyber "rekka" YouTube channel known for spreading malicious rumors.

Judge Choi Mi-young of the Civil Division 50 stated, "The defendant's actions damaged the plaintiff's reputation and credibility. The psychological and reputational harm must be compensated."

Mr. Park was ordered to pay ₩50 million (approx. $36,000) in non-economic damages.

📣 "A strong warning to cyberbullies"

Starship released an official statement via social media:

"This ruling sets an important precedent, holding individuals accountable for malicious behavior online. We believe it sends a clear message to reckless content creators."

They also thanked fans for their support and praised the court's fairness, stating:

"We sincerely thank the fans who supported us with reports and evidence. We express deep respect to the judiciary for upholding justice."

🧑‍⚖️ Related case: Jang Wonyoung wins ₩100M in separate suit

Earlier, IVE's Jang Wonyoung had also filed a separate lawsuit against Mr. Park. In January 2024, she was awarded ₩100 million in damages by a lower court, but the amount was later reduced to ₩50 million on appeal.

Mr. Park has been involved in multiple civil and criminal lawsuits with several K-pop artists, including BTS's V and Jungkook, as well as Kang Daniel.

🚨 Previous sentence: 2 years in prison (suspended)

Back in January, Mr. Park was sentenced to 2 years in prison, suspended for 3 years, on charges of defamation and insult under the Information and Communications Network Act. Prosecutors have since appealed the ruling for a heavier sentence.

[Photo Credit: Dispatch DB]