Kang Daniel wins civil lawsuit against YouTuber who spread malicious rumors...awarded 30 million won

Singer Kang Daniel has won a partial victory in his civil lawsuit against Park, the owner of the YouTube channel "Taldeoksooyongso" for spreading malicious rumors about him.

Judge Lee Eun-hee of the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 29 ruled on Sunday that "the defendant must compensate the plaintiff 30 million won" in Kang Daniel's 100 million-won damages claim against Park.

In 2022, Park posted a video titled "The naughty private life of the nation's boyfriend, actor idol" on her YouTube channel. In response, Park claimed that she "posted the video believing that the contents of the video were true," but Kang Daniel's camp claimed that the video was false and filed a criminal complaint for defamation.

At the first stage of the criminal trial, the court found Park guilty and sentenced her to a fine of 10 million won. The court found that "Park disseminated provocative and sensationalized content about famous celebrities for financial gain," and that "the video was not a mere expression of opinion but a clear defamation."

After the criminal verdict, Kang Daniel's camp filed a civil suit against Park, seeking 100 million won in damages, and the court awarded a partial judgment of 30 million won on the same day.

In addition to Kang Daniel, Park is also reportedly pursuing an appeal in a 100 million won lawsuit against IVE member Jang Won-young.

Legal experts say the ruling makes it clear that spreading malicious rumors can lead to civil liability as well as criminal penalties.