IVE's Jang Won Young wins 100 million KRW lawsuit against controversial YouTuber; agency shares details

Starship Entertainment has provided fans with legal updates regarding their proceeding with YouTuber Sojang, who has been spreading false rumors regarding their artists. Know case details.

By Pratyusha Dash

Updated on Mar 27, 2024 | 10:49 AM IST | 315.1K

Jang Won Young (Image Credits- Starship Entertainment)

In a legal triumph, Starship Entertainment has provided an update on their legal proceedings against YouTuber Sojang for spreading false content about their artists, including IVE's Jang Won Young. The 210th Civil Division of the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Jang Won Young and Starship Entertainment last month, marking a significant victory in the lawsuit.

Starship Entertainment takes strong legal action against malicious YouTubers

Starship Entertainment had previously taken legal action against YouTubers spreading false content about their artists, including IVE. In a statement released on July 25, the agency expressed their commitment to protecting their artists' rights, particularly against instances of malicious slander, false information circulation, personal attacks, and defamatory posts.

The agency highlighted their strong legal stance by filing a legal complaint against persistent malicious commenters in October 2022, resulting in significant sentences. Since November 2022, they have pursued criminal and civil suits, including an overseas lawsuit. In May 2023, they obtained an information provision order from the United States District Court and, in July 2023, acquired meaningful information about the Sojang channel manager from Google headquarters in the U.S. Unfortunately, after Google notified Sojang about the information provision order, the channel manager claimed hacking, deleted existing videos, issued an apology, and deactivated the channel account.

Sojang has caused serious defamation against IVE's members by consistently spreading false information, impacting the agency's operations. This was admitted in a recent post on NATE PANN, purportedly written by Sojang themselves. Regardless of the sincerity or true intentions behind Sojang's apology, Starship is determined to pursue civil and criminal liability for their past illegal actions through the ongoing lawsuit.

Through legal procedures, the agency is actively verifying the personal information of the hosts of "cyber wrecker" (ones spreading malicious information) channels, including Sojang. Unlike previous cases, Starship has taken measures with the assistance of LIWU Law Group to obtain significant information about the identities of these cyber wrecker channel creators. The agency plans to hold them accountable for their actions.

Starship Entertainment provides updates on legal proceedings; IVE's Jang Won Young wins lawsuit

Starship Entertainment has provided an update on legal actions against YouTuber Sojang for disseminating false content about their artists, including IVE. In a statement released on January 17, the agency informed fans about the current status of the legal proceedings addressing the infringement of the rights of Starship Entertainment's artists.

Since November 2022, the agency has actively pursued criminal and civil suits, as well as an overseas lawsuit, against Sojang, who persistently harassed their artists. The continuous spread of false information by Sojang led to severe defamation, adversely affecting the agency's business and causing distress to artists and fans. Starship Entertainment is dedicated to ensuring that Sojang faces civil and criminal liability through the ongoing lawsuit.

The criminal charges against Sojang have recently been forwarded from the police to the prosecution, and the agency is awaiting a stern judgment from the law. As the matter is still ongoing, the final judicial judgment is yet to be made. Additionally, two civil lawsuits were filed against Sojang. The agency's civil lawsuit is scheduled to be pleaded in January. In the lawsuit raised by artist IVE's Jang Won Young herself, the other party did not respond, resulting in the case being won through a deemed confession. According to reports, the court has ordered Sojang to pay damages amounting to 100 million KRW (approximately 74,532.87 USD), with an annual interest rate of 12% until the complete repayment of the amount. After all legal judgments are finalized, the agency plans to issue another official statement concerning legal matters.

The agency maintains a vigilant monitoring system to safeguard the rights of their artists, including their reputation, privacy, and human rights. They emphasize their commitment to taking all possible legal actions without leniency in current and future cases of defamation or any other additional damages caused to the artists.

In conclusion, the agency requested fans to continue sending reports, as they have been immensely helpful in responding to the legal proceedings and taking appropriate legal actions.

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