Currently, the legal proceedings for the trial of the YouTube channel Taldeok Camp (also known as Sojang) are underway. Since November 2022, Jang Won Young and her management company, Starship Entertainment, have been pursuing both civil and criminal lawsuits against A, the operator of Taldeok Camp.
A is being charged with defaming seven celebrities through the release of 23 “exposé”videos on Taldeok Camp between October 2021 and June 2023. Additionally, this individual is facing accusations of posting 19 videos that criticized the physical appearance of five people. The videos in question contained allegations such as “Numerous celebrities engage in prostitution or have undergone plastic surgery,””RM of BTS is married,””Nam Joo Hyuk is rude,”and “Jang Won Young of IVE is in a relationship with an older artist and is currently pregnant at the age of 19.”
Jang Won Young’s Lawsuit Against Taldeok Camp for Continuous False Reporting
According to a report by Star News Korea, an examination of the Taldeok Camp account showed that it had generated approximately 250 million won (equivalent to 181,000 USD) in profits over a period of approximately two years since June 2021. The YouTube channel Sojang, with a subscriber count of around 60,000, earns a monthly ad revenue of over 10 million won (equivalent to 7,000 USD) from its videos.
In December 2023, the prosecution began investigating A after receiving complaints from three victims, including Jang Won Young, about using their earnings to purchase real estate. By May, five more victims had come forward and the prosecutor requested an arrest warrant for A twice, in February and April. However, the court denied the request, stating that “A is not considered a flight risk.”
Throughout the investigation, A asserted that the videos on YouTube were simply a reflection of personal opinions and were created to serve the public interest, highlighting a matter of importance.
However, a representative from the prosecution stated, “A operated the YouTube channel under a false identity and attempted to conceal evidence by deleting the channel. Upon searching A’s residence, we discovered more videos involving different celebrities and a laptop used for video editing.”
Taldeok Camp is comparable to “Unknown_01″in its anonymity, featuring only images of celebrities without revealing their faces in the videos. Despite attending the first trial for defaming Kang Daniel at the end of May, A still concealed their identity by wearing a wig.
The Cost of Exposure
Unlike Taldeok Camp, the people behind the Garo Sero Institute channel, which caused a stir in the Korean entertainment industry, have no qualms about disclosing their identities. The Garo Sero Institute YouTube channel is operated by three individuals: Kim Yong Ho, Kim Se Eui, and Kang Yong Seok.
The main focus of Garo Sero Institute is to uncover political and entertainment controversies in Korea. Their coverage has included Jun Ji Hyun’s divorce, Han Ye Seul’s previous employment in an adult entertainment establishment, drug use, her husband’s involvement as a gigolo, and the revelation of Choi Ji Woo’s husband’s extramarital affair.
Apart from generating revenue through advertisements, Garo Sero Institute also receives a substantial amount of profit from viewer contributions. According to a report by Joongang, Kang Yong Seok, the institute’s leader, received a donation of 19.7 million won from YouTube users through a single fundraising video.
Consequences for Garo Sero Institute
In late 2021, the Garo Sero Institute office in Gangnam was surrounded by 20 police officers who also executed arrest warrants at the homes of Kim Se Eui and Kang Yong Seok. According to a report by Hankook Ilbo in mid-2022, the Garo Sero Institute was charged. The three individuals in charge of the institute were faced with a minimum of ten lawsuits, including ones from actors Jun Ji Hyun and Han Ye Seul.
The Case of Sojang
The channel owner was faced with eight complaints, one of which came from Jang Won Young and another from Kang Daniel. As reported by Star News Korea, Jang Won Young took legal action against the channel owner and requested 100 million won as compensation. After a trial in January, Jang Won Young was granted a favorable ruling, with the court ordering the channel owner to pay 100 million won in addition to covering court expenses.
Nevertheless, A’s lawyer appealed the trial outcome and filed for a stay of execution. Additionally, A took steps to avoid paying compensation.
The appellate court attempted to mediate the case, however, it was unsuccessful due to Jang Won Young and her management company, Starship Entertainment, refusing to accept any leniency.
In response to this matter, Starship Entertainment, Jang Won Young’s management company, stated to Star News Korea: “We have made our stance clear through our legal representatives. The primary objective of this lawsuit is for Taldeok Camp to be held accountable through a strict legal ruling. As a result, there will be no opportunities for negotiations.”
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