YouTuber Sojang Sentenced to Two Years In Prison for Defamation Against K-Pop Stars From BTS, IVE & More

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South Korean YouTuber Sojang, known for spreading rumors about K-pop stars, was sentenced to two years in prison with a three-year probation period by the Incheon District Court on Wednesday, January 15.

The court also ordered the 36-year-old YouTuber, whose real name is Park Joo-ah, to pay a fine of 210 million won ($143,720) and complete 120 hours of community service.

Sojang, also known online as Taldeok Camp and Quitting Fandom Center, ran a now-deleted YouTube channel. Over the years, she gained notoriety for spreading controversial rumors about K-pop idols, including members of BTS, IVE’s Jang Wonyoung and aespa. These rumors often involved sensitive topics like prostitution, plastic surgery, and celebrities’ love lives.

In 2022, Park faced accusations of defaming Kang Daniel by posting a video filled with false claims about his private life. She was also accused of spreading defamatory content about Wonyoung and aespa. During court proceedings, Park denied all defamation charges, claiming she believed the information in her videos to be true.

Last year, she was fined multiple times for her actions, including 30 million won for defaming Kang Daniel and 100 million won for her posts about Wonyoung. BTS members V and Jung Kook also filed a lawsuit seeking 90 million won in damages.

During her trial on May 27, Sojang defended herself, saying, “The videos I made were based on information I believed to be true. I didn’t know the content was false, so it wasn’t intentional defamation or slander.”

However, on June 29, 2023, Sojang posted an apology letter, acknowledging the harm caused by her videos. She wrote, “I know my crimes of about two years will not be forgiven with just the words ‘I’m sorry.’ I’m really sorry. I apologize. I am sorry to the people who were hurt by my videos and sorry to the subjects of my videos.”

BTS member V addressed the issue on the fan platform Weverse. After reviewing Sojang’s videos and screenshots, V declared, “Oh? I’ll take legal action. I’m getting some money for snacks. You even messed with my family and friends. Goodbye.”

V also noted that other artists had faced similar issues with Sojang and expressed his intent to act on behalf of those who couldn’t defend themselves. Reassuring fans, he added, “Of course, my mental strength is very strong, like [BTS member] Suga.”

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