SM Vows Strong Legal Action To Protect One Of Its Biggest Kpop Idols Due To Constant Hate And Online Harassment
SM Entertainment has stepped in to protect aespa‘s Winter from a wave of malicious posts, vowing strong legal action against those responsible.
On September 28, SM Entertainment issued a stern warning through its official account, stating it “sternly warns that it will take strong legal action against the malicious posts continuously being spread targeting our artist Winter.”
The agency continued, “False information, defamation, insults, malicious slander and personal attacks, and sexual harassment continue to be posted across various platforms in the form of unlawful posts and content. We plan to proceed step by step with legal action, including filing complaints, following a thorough review by our legal firm.”
It added, “Regardless of whether posts are made domestically or abroad, we will secure the materials necessary to identify how the posts were written and spread, as well as who wrote them, and request investigations from the relevant authorities,” emphasizing, “We reiterate that offenders will be held strictly legally accountable under a zero-tolerance policy, without any leniency or settlement,” while also asking fans to report any such content.
Below is SM Entertainment’s full statement.
“Hello, this is SM Entertainment. We sternly warn that we will take strong legal action against the malicious posts continuously being spread targeting our artist, aespa’s Winter.
Currently, unlawful posts and content — including the spread of false information, defamation, insults, malicious slander and personal attacks, and sexual harassment targeting our artist — continue to be posted across various platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, TheQoo, Instiz, DC Inside, Yeoseongsidae, and Nate Pann. We plan to proceed step by step with legal action, including filing complaints, following a thorough review by our legal firm.
In addition, we will respond without exception to unlawful activity taking place on anonymous forums and social media beyond the platforms mentioned above, and we will secure the materials necessary to identify how posts were written and spread, as well as who wrote them, regardless of whether this occurs domestically or abroad, and request investigations from the relevant authorities. We reiterate that offenders who are caught will be held strictly legally accountable under a zero-tolerance policy, without any leniency or settlement, so please exercise particular caution not to become involved in criminal activity.
We are continuously collecting and securing materials on all posts and content that infringe on our artist’s rights through fan reports via ‘KWANGYA 119’ and our own monitoring, and we will continue to strengthen our legal response to malicious posts to protect the rights of our artists going forward. Thank you.”
Source: (A)
