A big victory this week — not just for idols, but for accountability online.
Prosecutors have once again requested a prison sentence for the operator of the YouTube channel Taldeok Sooyongso (“Rehabilitation Center for Former Fans”) — better known online as Sojang, the same YouTuber previously sued by BTS’s V and Jungkook for defamation.
The 37-year-old defendant earned hundreds of thousands of dollars by posting malicious videos targeting celebrities, including IVE’s Jang Wonyoung. She was earlier sentenced to two years in prison (with probation), 120 hours of community service, and ordered to forfeit over ₩200 million (~$141K) — but prosecutors are now seeking a four-year prison term.
Here are some of the rumors she spread.
| Artist/Group | Specific Claims/Rumors Published | Impact and Legal Outcome |
| IVE’s Jang Wonyoung | – Forced a rumored seventh IVE member out of the group pre-debut.- Hired people to post defamatory comments online.- Personal attacks on her behavior, diet, and “bullying-type” attitude, including glorifying eating disorders via “Wonyoungism.”- Spread 23 videos with falsehoods from Oct 2021–Jun 2022. | Starship Entertainment sued in Nov 2022; partial win in Jan 2024 (100 million KRW awarded). Full civil win in Jun 2025 (50 million KRW), appealed by Sojang. Prosecutors sought 4-year prison + 21 million KRW fine in Oct 2024. |
| BTS’s V (Taehyung) | – False claims about personal life, relationships, and appearance. – Reproduced unverified scandals in videos from Oct 2021–Jun 2023. | Joint lawsuit with Jungkook filed Mar 2024; convicted Feb 2025, ordered to pay 76 million KRW (~$53,000 USD). First trial Aug 2024. |
| BTS’s Jungkook | – Similar false info on relationships and personal scandals. – Videos exploiting “hot issues” for views. | Same lawsuit as V; damages claimed ~90 million KRW. Sojang claimed content was “personal opinion,” but court ruled defamatory. |
| aespa (Karina, Winter, group-wide) | – Karina: Baseless dating rumors and defamation. – Winter: “Evidence” of dating via phone use during content (e.g., compilation videos claiming constant texting). – Group: Forced a member out; overall malicious gossip and “bullying-type” behavior. | SM Entertainment sued Sep 2024; first trial Sep 2, 2024. Part of broader 23-video indictment. Prosecutors sought 4-year sentence Oct 2024. |
| EXO’s Suho | – Defamatory videos with false facts about personal life and career. – Included in 23-video series targeting multiple idols. | Joint lawsuit with aespa; indicted alongside other cases. Ongoing as of 2024. |
| Kang Daniel | – Baseless rumors about misconduct and personal scandals. – Videos from Jul 2022 onward. | Criminal complaint filed Jul 2022; won lawsuit (amount undisclosed). Sojang chased by Dispatch during trial coverage. |
| Nam Joo-hyuk | – School bullying accusations, including rude behavior toward less famous people. – “Evidence” like graduation book photos; claimed he was kind only to popular individuals. | Sparked major backlash Jun 2022; agency (Management SOOP) sued quickly. Sojang received heavy netizen hate for lack of proof. |
| Other Targets (e.g., DKZ, general K-drama stars) | – Broader videos on 1st-gen idols to current groups, focusing on negative gossip. – Indirect harm, like fueling “Minji kalguksu” nonsense about NewJeans’ Minji. – Attacks on aespa/IVE as primary focuses, with misogynistic trolls in comments. | No specific lawsuits listed, but contributed to channel’s reputation as a “breeding ground for haters.” Fans noted subscriptions by idols (e.g., DKZ’s Jaechan) led to secondary controversies. |
Between 2021 and 2023, she uploaded dozens of defamatory and body-shaming videos about idols, profiting roughly ₩250 million (~$176K). In court, she finally admitted,
“I believed I was fulfilling the public’s right to know. Now I understand how wrong that was.”
The final ruling comes November 11, but the message is already clear:
Freedom of speech isn’t freedom from consequence.
For bloggers, YouTubers, and fan commentators — consider this your wake-up call. Views fade, but accountability doesn’t.
