A defamation case over a popular YouTube channel that spread fake news about K-pop stars prompts a compulsory mediation ruling, with Starship Entertainment among the parties seeking resolution.

Seoul’s central district court ordered the defendant to pay 50 million won in damages plus interest to the plaintiff, while dismissing the rest of the claims in June. The decision came in a civil suit filed by a management agency against the operator of 탈덕수용소, a channel accused of spreading false information about celebrities, including members of IVE. The appellate court later referred the case to mediation, and on October 30 a hearing concluded with a forced mediation, a process in which the court sets settlement terms and, if not challenged within two weeks, the ruling takes on the force of a judgment.

This is not the first time 탈덕수용소 has reached a forced mediation; the channel’s operator previously reached a forced mediation in a separate case involving Kang Daniel. The agency stated that it has pursued civil and criminal actions against 탈덕수용소 since 2022, aiming to hold the channel accountable for alleged harm caused to its artists and fans. 탈덕수용소 has long been criticized for propagating baseless rumors about various K-pop artists, with industry groups calling for strict action against malign content creators.

In court, the operator’s counsel argued the posts served a public-interest purpose and that the content was not knowingly false, while prosecutors contended that the earnings from the channel could not be fully traced due to account deletions. Separately, Jang Won-young — a member of a top girl group and under Starship Entertainment’s management — filed a separate 100 million won damages suit against the operator. The court awarded Won-young damages and ordered payment with annual interest of 12%, plus court costs; the defendant appealed and sought a stay of enforcement, including depositing 100 million won as security.

Prosecutors in Incheon also charged the operator with defamation and insult under information-age laws, accusing him of posting 23 videos defaming seven celebrities and 19 videos insulting five individuals between 2021 and 2023. Investigators found the operator had earned about 250 million won over roughly two years and had used part of the proceeds to buy real estate. The operator pleaded that the videos were merely opinions, but prosecutors said there was evidence of attempts to destroy data and that more videos were discovered in seized devices.

As this case unfolds, Starship Entertainment emphasizes its ongoing civil and criminal actions to demand accountability for the harm caused by 탈덕수용소, while legal proceedings and potential further actions against the operator continue. The broader industry remains vigilant against the spread of false content targeting artists, with authorities intensifying scrutiny of malign online channels.

참고: 위 내용은 제목/요약에 직접 관련된 한국어 문장을 바탕으로 영어로 재구성한 기사입니다. 필요한 경우 맥락 보완이나 어조 조절을 추가로 적용해 드릴 수 있습니다.