Actress Shin Se Kyung, known for her roles in dramas like The Bride of Habaek and Run On, has won a defamation case against an individual who harassed her online for months. According to Korean media outlet OSEN, the Seoul Eastern District Court ruled in her favor on July 4, sentencing the offender to eight months in prison. The case marks a significant step forward in the ongoing fight against cyberbullying and online threats targeting public figures.
The offender, a 35-year-old woman identified only by the surname Kim, was convicted of posting nearly 450 threatening and defamatory comments across multiple fan boards and drama forums on the website DC Inside. The content of these messages included highly disturbing references, such as threats of an acid attack. The court acknowledged that the volume and nature of the comments caused severe emotional distress for the actress.
Judge Lee Ho Dong, who oversaw the case, stressed the importance of holding individuals accountable for online harassment, regardless of whether they intended to act on their threats. While Kim had no apparent intent to follow through with her messages, the judge ruled that the psychological harm inflicted was serious enough to warrant a prison term.
During earlier proceedings, prosecutors had requested a two-year prison sentence. However, the court ultimately handed down a more lenient ruling, citing the lack of real-world intent to carry out physical harm. Still, the verdict reinforced that repeated, malicious online behavior could not be excused under the banner of free speech.
Shin Se Kyung’s agency welcomed the ruling, emphasizing that freedom of expression does not include the right to endanger someone’s safety or dignity behind a mask of online anonymity. They expressed hope that this judgment would deter others from committing similar acts and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting their artist’s rights through all legal means.
The case is being seen as a precedent-setting example in South Korea’s ongoing effort to address cyber violence, particularly in the entertainment industry where public figures are frequent targets.
