Min Hee-jin Prevails in Lawsuit Against Online Trolls and Malicious Commenters

Seoul Court Ruling on Malicious Comments Against Min Hee-jin

On March 19, a significant ruling was delivered by the Seoul Central District Court, ordering eight individuals to pay damages ranging from 50, 000 to 100, 000 won each. This decision follows a high-profile conflict that arose between Min Hee-jin and HYBE in April 2024, wherein HYBE accused Min of attempting to detach ADOR from the company to gain control over its management.

Min actively sought to defend her reputation through a series of press conferences addressing these serious allegations. Unfortunately, these public statements triggered a wave of malicious comments online directed at her. In response, Min filed a lawsuit claiming that the harmful remarks not only inflicted emotional distress but also significantly harmed her reputation. She initially sought 3 million won in compensation for each defamatory comment made.

Ultimately, the court ruled in her favor but awarded damages that were lower than her request. One of the most substantial fines of 100, 000 won was imposed for a particularly vile remark, “Just three letters: XXX.” Other comments, including “I want to punch XX” and “Psycho XX, ” received fines of 50, 000 won. However, some remarks, such as “Cunning X, ” were deemed insufficiently severe to warrant compensation, with the court explaining that although such expressions might be insulting, they were considered “relatively mild”and not excessively malicious.

Looking ahead, Min Hee-jin is poised to prevail in additional lawsuits against other individuals who have made derogatory comments. Since her departure as CEO of ADOR in August 2024, the K-pop group NewJeans, once affiliated with ADOR, has been transitioning towards more independent activities, particularly after announcing the termination of their contract with the label in November 2024.

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