[Exclusive]"Sang-cheol sexual relationship exposed": 16th Season Young-sook’s defamation fine upheld by Supreme Court

*This content was translated by AI.

SBS Plus and ENA's "I Am Solo" Season 16 contestant Young-sook has had a 2 million won fine for insult charges finalized by the Supreme Court.

According to StarNews, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal filed by Season 16 contestant Young-sook, who was prosecuted under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, etc., for defamation and insult, thereby upholding the original verdict on the 16th.

As a result, the first-instance ruling by Daegu District Court's Criminal Division 10, which sentenced Young-sook to a 2 million won fine on July 9, 2025, was confirmed following the appeal court judgment delivered by Daegu District Court's Criminal Appeal Division 2-1 on April 10.

Following this, Season 16 contestant Sang-cheol stated, "The three years have not been short for me at all. False stories were repeatedly spread, causing significant harm not only to me but also to my family and those around me. While today's verdict cannot reverse that time, it is a meaningful judgment confirming that truth will eventually be revealed even if it takes time, and that anyone who arbitrarily damages another person's reputation must bear responsibility." He added, "I sincerely thank everyone who believed in and supported me until the end. I hope this verdict serves as a reminder that unfounded exposure and personal attacks without fact-checking cannot be protected under the name of freedom of expression even in online spaces."

Previously, the first-instance court ruled, "None of the content pertains to matters of public interest that citizens need to know, nor can it reasonably be considered so. It does not serve the public interest either." The court further noted, "Taking into account the defendant's poor economic situation, her raising a child alone, and her full acknowledgment of the factual circumstances, a fine of 2 million won was imposed."

Subsequently, Season 16 contestant Young-sook appealed, stating at the time, "There was no intent to slander or defame; the statements were made for public interest, self-defense, and clarification. They constitute justifiable defense or lawful acts, and the cited legal provisions violate the Constitution." However, the court responded, "Even if someone is wrong in a public space, such actions cannot be deemed justified. Precedents maintaining that these acts do not violate the Constitution remain valid. The defendant's arguments cannot be accepted in full, and the first-instance judgment remains reasonable overall," explaining the grounds for dismissal.

The issue arose when Season 16 contestant Young-sook posted online content alleging that Season 16 contestant Sang-cheol had sexual relations with another woman while dating her. Young-sook faced four separate charges of defamation and insult against the victim.

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*This content was translated by AI.