Ive's Jang Wonyoung Addresses Malicious Comments as YouTuber Receives Suspended Sentence

A YouTuber known as A, who operated a channel called 탈덕수용소 (Anti-Fandom Shelter), has been sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for three years, and ordered to pay approximately 200 million KRW in fines for spreading false information about Jang Wonyoung of the girl group IVE. The ruling was made on January 15, 2025, by Judge Kim Saetbyeol at the Incheon District Court, who found A guilty of defamation and insult under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

In addition to targeting Jang Wonyoung, A has also faced legal action for creating malicious content about other celebrities, including Kang Daniel and BTS members V (뷔) and Jungkook (정국). Other artists from SM Entertainment, such as Karina (카리나) of aespa and Suho (수호) of EXO, have also filed lawsuits against A.

Judge Kim emphasized the severe impact of defamation on victims, stating that the defendant's actions had caused irreparable harm. A was noted to have profited significantly from the defamatory content, earning an average of 10 million KRW per month, totaling around 250 million KRW.

Despite the gravity of the offenses, the court considered A's late acknowledgment of wrongdoing and the 20 million KRW deposited as a guarantee for Jang Wonyoung, along with a total of 60 million KRW for other victims, in determining the sentence.

From October 2021 to June 2022, A posted 23 false videos about Jang Wonyoung and six other celebrities, damaging their reputations. Jang Wonyoung's agency, Starship Entertainment, has declared a war against cyberbullying, pursuing both civil and criminal lawsuits against A.

As A faces a suspended sentence and hefty fines, Jang Wonyoung is set to share her thoughts on the malicious posts and comments during her appearance on the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block' alongside fellow IVE member An Yujin (안유진). In a preview clip released earlier, Jang Wonyoung expressed her feelings about the hurtful comments, stating, "These are people who have never seen me as a person, and they judge me based on a few seconds of video, which is..." She also remarked, "There is no pain without compensation."