"Romance with Jannabi's Choi Jung-hoon and the crime"… Actor Han Jimin 'threatened' by woman in her 30s, ultimately sentenced to '6 million won fine' [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

A woman in her 30s who posted malicious social media posts targeting actor Han Jimin (44) was sentenced to a fine at the first trial.

Judge Lee Ye-rim of the Criminal Division 27 Solo at the Seoul Central District Court on the 16th sentenced Ms. Lee, charged with threats and insult, to a fine of 6 million won.

Regarding the establishment of the crime of threats, the court stated, "Threats refer to notifying of harm sufficient to cause fear," adding, "It must be considered that unverified suspicions about celebrities are amplified and reproduced through social media, and that it is difficult to correct a negative image once formed."

The court further explained, "Considering the content, frequency, context, and relationship with the victim, the posts in this case constitute notification of harm that could cause the victim to feel fear."

In its sentencing rationale, the court stated, "The defendant publicly wrote insulting posts claiming the victim's romance rumors were false, and threatened by demanding the release of a breakup article and the suspension of social media activities," adding, "(The victim), as an actor who works based on public attention, suffered serious damage to their image despite efforts to maintain a good reputation for a long time."

The court added, "It is necessary to sound the alarm against acts of criticizing others and spreading malicious rumors relying on the anonymity of online spaces."

Ms. Lee was charged with posting 19 posts tagging Han Jimin and his acquaintances on her social media between September and October 2024 last year, including statements such as "I will sabotage the movie Han Jimin is appearing in" and "Shut up."

It was investigated that this crime occurred after news of a romance between Han Jimin and Choi Jung-hoon (34), a singer in the band Jannabi, became known in August of the same year.

In response, Han Jimin's agency BH Entertainment filed a complaint against Ms. Lee with the Seoul Gangnam Police Station in November of the same year, and the police referred Ms. Lee to the Prosecution Service (now Public Prosecution Office) with a recommendation for prosecution in March last year.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original