YouTube Channel Ordered to Compensate Starship Entertainment for Defamation
The operator of the YouTube channel 탈덕수용소 (Taldok Su-yong-so), which produced false videos about celebrities including IVE member Jang Wonyoung, has been ordered to pay 50 million KRW to Starship Entertainment, Jang's agency. On June 4, 2025, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Starship in a lawsuit seeking 100 million KRW in damages, stating that the videos posted by the channel garnered view counts ranging from 100,000 to 1 million, clearly harming the image and activities of both IVE and Jang Wonyoung. The court noted that this likely affected Starship's management operations as well.
The defendant, identified as Park, argued in court that he merely expressed opinions in the videos and did not state facts. He claimed that even if the content was false, he believed it to be true and posted it for the public good. Park also contended that as an individual YouTuber, he could not have significantly disrupted the operations of a large company like Starship. However, the court dismissed his claims, stating that it could not recognize the videos as being made for the public interest.
The channel, which operated from 2021 for about two years, became controversial for creating videos that baselessly slandered celebrities using malicious rumors. Among the false claims were assertions that Jang Wonyoung's jealousy led to a fellow trainee's failed debut and that she held Chinese nationality. Jang Wonyoung and Starship Entertainment filed the lawsuit against Park for defamation due to the dissemination of false information. Previously, a higher court had also ordered Park to pay 50 million KRW in a separate defamation case brought by Jang Wonyoung.
Additionally, Park has been indicted for defamation and insult against Jang Wonyoung and received a two-year prison sentence with a three-year probation in the first trial. Investigations revealed that Park earned approximately 250 million KRW from operating the 탈덕수용소 channel.
