[talk] Jang Won-young, the punishment for the detention center for the delinquents continues.. Reunion at the appeal trial in September

The lawsuit against girl group IVE member Jang Won-young's detention center for fans continues.

Seoul Central District Court (Appeal) 9-3 Civil Affairs Department (Na) confirmed the first hearing date for the appeal trial of Jang Won-young's lawsuit for damages against YouTuber A, who operated a defamatory YouTube channel, as September 4.

Jang Won-young and her agency Starship Entertainment (hereinafter referred to as Starship) have been pursuing civil, criminal, and overseas lawsuits against Mr. A, the operator of the fan detention center, since November 2022.

Person A is accused of defaming 7 famous people, including entertainers and influencers, by uploading videos 23 times to the anti-fan camp between October 2021 and June 2023. He is also accused of uploading videos disparaging the appearances of 5 people to the anti-fan camp 19 times. Person A produced and distributed false videos claiming, "Jang Won-young was jealous, so a fellow trainee's debut was ruined" and "Other celebrities also engaged in prostitution or had plastic surgery."

The prosecution analyzed the account of the detention center for those who had been detained for 250 million won and found that they had earned profits of 250 million won over approximately two years from June 2021. They also confirmed that Mr. A purchased real estate with some of the profits. In December 2023, the prosecution received the cases of three victims, including Jang Won-young, from the police and conducted a supplementary investigation. In May, they received additional complaints from five victims and requested an arrest warrant for Mr. A twice in February and April, but the court dismissed them, saying, "There is no risk of flight."

During the prosecution investigation, Mr. A is reported to have claimed, "YouTube videos are simply expressions of opinion. I produced the videos for the public interest, which is a matter of interest." On the other hand, a prosecution official stated, "Mr. A operated a YouTube channel anonymously and attempted to destroy evidence by deleting the channel. During a search and seizure of his home, we discovered additional videos featuring many celebrities on the laptop he used to edit the videos."

Jang Won-young won a partial victory in the 100 million won damages lawsuit she filed against Mr. A in January, after the court ruled without a hearing. At the time, the court ordered Mr. A to "pay the 100 million won and the amount calculated at an annual interest rate of 12% until the day it is fully paid," and said that he would have to pay not only the interest but also the court costs incurred during the lawsuit separately.

However, Mr. A filed an appeal against the verdict through his legal representative, applied for a stay of enforcement of the lawsuit results, and even offered to deposit 100 million won in an attempt to avoid paying damages.

The appellate court then decided to refer the case to mediation in March, but mediation ultimately fell through. Of course, Jang Won-young and Starship still maintain their stance that there will be "no leniency."

In relation to this, Jang Won-young's agency Starship Entertainment stated to Star News, "We have conveyed our opinion through our legal representative that the primary purpose of this trial is to receive a stern legal judgment on Cyber ​​Wrecker, and therefore there will be no room for agreement."