Former Actress Sentenced for Extortion Involving Late Actor Lee Seon-kyun

A former actress, identified as B (29), has been sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison for extorting 300 million KRW from the late actor Lee Seon-kyun. The Incheon District Court's Judge Kwak Yeo-san also sentenced A (30), a nightclub manager, to 3 years and 6 months for her role in the crime.

During the sentencing on December 19, Judge Kwak noted that A had independently determined the extortion amount and that there was insufficient evidence to support A's claim that B had directed the extortion or engaged in gaslighting. The judge emphasized the severe emotional distress experienced by the victim, Lee, and his family, stating that A's actions were particularly egregious.

The court also acknowledged that Lee took his own life after the case became public, asserting that the defendants' extortion was a contributing factor to his death. While A was considered a victim of B's threats, the court found that B had shown some remorse and had dependents to care for, which influenced the sentencing.

Prosecutors had previously sought a 7-year sentence for both defendants during the trial. A was arrested for contacting Lee in September 2023, claiming her phone had been hacked and demanding money to silence the threats. B, who had a history of drug use and previous convictions, was found to have posed as a hacker to extort money from A and later from Lee.

B had minor roles in films produced in 2012 and 2015 and has a prior conviction for fraud.