DJ DOC’s Lee Ha-neul Referred to Prosecution for Defamation Over Spreading False Accusations
According to documents obtained by Sports Kyunghyang on April 18, DJ DOC member Lee Ha-neul has been formally referred to the prosecution on charges of defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.
The plaintiff, CEO Lee of the entertainment agency Basecamp Studio, confirmed the development, stating, “It is true that Lee Ha-neul has been referred to the prosecution on charges of defamation.” The CEO alleged that the case stems from Lee spreading false and damaging claims online, including accusations that the CEO was a “minor sexual offender,” which he firmly denies.
On April 16, the CEO publicly posted about the referral on his personal social media, stating that Lee had spread groundless rumors accusing him of being a “habitual drug offender,” despite the CEO being a non-smoker with no history of drug use. “These false claims were disseminated widely through social media and industry channels,” he wrote, uploading an official document confirming Lee’s referral to prosecutors.
The CEO further alleged that Lee had also previously circulated unfounded accusations of embezzlement, breach of trust, and sexual misconduct, including with minors. He believes the motivation behind the defamation was to manipulate public opinion in Lee’s favor amid a dispute over contract termination.
The conflict stems from a prior working relationship: both the CEO and rapper Juvie Train (Joo Hyun-woo) had worked under Lee’s former label Funky Town for about five months. The CEO claims they were unfairly dismissed and later won labor disputes filed with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Labor Relations Commission.
He also revealed that this defamation case marks at least the fourth or fifth legal issue involving Lee Ha-neul, with a joint investigation currently underway. “Even if a settlement is reached, a prison sentence is likely, due to the severity and number of cases being merged,” the CEO said.
Previously, in September last year, Juvie Train had also accused Lee of defamation, stating that Lee had repeatedly spread false claims about drug abuse involving both him and the CEO. In response, Juvie Train voluntarily underwent a drug test in April 2023 and received a negative result, asserting his innocence.
