Jang Wonyoung Says ‘No Leniency’ “Appeal Hearing for Sojang to Proceed in September”
According to Star News on June 12th, the Seoul Central District Court scheduled the first appeal hearing for September 4th in the damages lawsuit filed by Jang Wonyoung against A, a woman in her 30s who runs the YouTube channel “Sojang”.
Since November 2022, Jang Wonyoung and Starship Entertainment have been pursuing civil and criminal lawsuits against “Sojang”, including lawsuits abroad.
A is accused of repeatedly posting defamatory videos about Jang Wonyoung and other celebrities on her channel from October 2021 to June 2023. She allegedly created and spread rumors like “Jang Wonyoung’s jealousy led to the debut cancellation of a fellow trainee“.
The prosecution believes A earned about 250 million won from her channel and confirmed that she used part of the earnings to purchase real estate.
In October last year, Jang Wonyoung and Starship filed a damages lawsuit claiming serious defamation due to the spread of false information. They won part of the lawsuit, receiving 100 million won in damages. A, however, has since hired a lawyer and filed an appeal against the verdict, claiming innocence and seeking to stay the execution of the damages.
A’s assets are currently under preliminary attachment, which prevents her from disposing of property to ensure that the profits gained from the crime are not hidden before a verdict is finalized. About 210 million won worth of assets are under preliminary attachment, and the prosecution plans to confiscate these assets based on the court’s decision.
Jang Wonyoung and Starship have expressed a firm stance against leniency towards A.
In addition to the damages lawsuit, A is also being prosecuted for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. During a court date last month, she was seen avoiding the press, wearing a pink top, a white skirt, a wig and a mask to conceal her identity, and running to avoid cameras and reporters.