Shin Se Kyung has had it with those making malicious comments online. The actress and her agency Namoo Actors have decided to take legal action against 20 online commenters for allegedly posting malicious rumors about her. The agency recently took their complaint to the Gangnam police.
The rumors allegedly insinuated that Shin Se Kyung flirted with many male celebrities. A representative from Namoo Actors spoke to the Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo about the agency's attempts to halt the rumors.
"We will pursue the complaint to uproot this nasty practice of spreading false information under the cloak of anonymity online."
It's not Shin Se Kyung's first experience with cyber bullies. Rumors previously alleged that she underwent extensive plastic surgery, but the star of "The Girl Who Sees Smells" and "Six Flying Dragons" denied those rumors in 2013.
And she is not the only celebrity who is currently taking action against online rumors. Park Shi Hoo, the star of "Neighborhood Hero," recently decided to take legal action against 76 online commenters. His lawyer Jo In Ho spoke the Korean media outlet mydaily, saying that there are many netizens who consistently post negative comments.
"Over the past few years we kept track of netizens who consistently post vicious comments, especially those that are most insulting, and we decided to sue them," said Jo.
In February Park's legal team reportedly submitted a lawsuit to the prosecutor's office, requesting that the commenters be investigated for defamation of character.
In January, JYJ singer Kim Junsu and actor Lee Jung Jae both took action against malicious online commenters. Late in 2015 singer-actress IU and her agency Loen Entertainment decided to pursue those making inflammatory comments.
In the past stars tended to forgive netizens for such derogatory posts but that is changing. Stars and their agencies are increasingly taking a stand.
Defamation of character is illegal in Korea and can result in a fine and even potentially a two-year jail sentence. Making a negative comment is not illegal but creating career-damaging rumors is.
