aespa's agency is cracking down hard on cyberbullying and deepfake crimes. Multiple individuals have now been convicted for spreading malicious content targeting the group.
On June 5, SM Entertainment posted an official update via social media about ongoing legal action. The cases involve deepfakes, edited photos and videos, defamation, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment against aespa members.
💻 Fan Tips + Company Monitoring = Legal Action
With help from fan reports and internal monitoring, the agency collected digital evidence and filed criminal charges. Accusations included defamation, insult, and distribution of manipulated videos.
Several suspects were identified and investigated. One deepfake creator received a heavy sentence—3 years in prison, suspended for 5 years. Others received fines.
⚖️ Korea Strengthens Deepfake Laws
As AI-generated crime rises, Korea passed the "Deepfake Sex Crime Prevention Act" in September 2024. Under the law, editing or distributing deepfake sexual content carries the same punishment as illegal filming:
- Up to 3 years in prison or
- Fines up to ₩30 million (~$22,000) even for viewing or saving such content.
SM vowed to pursue these cases to the end, stating, "We will continue to take strong legal action to protect our artists."
🎧 aespa Returns June 27 with 'Dirty Work'
Meanwhile, aespa is set to make a fierce comeback with their new single 'Dirty Work' on June 27.
[Photo Credit: SM Entertainment]
