G-Dragon Sues Over 100 Threat Posters; Some Ordered to Pay Fines of 2–7 Million Won

Some individuals who created malicious posts targeting singer G-Dragon have received summary court orders imposing fine penalties. On August 4, his agency, Galaxy Corporation, issued an official statement outlining its firm legal action against violations of the artist’s rights.

Galaxy Corporation filed lawsuits in February against more than 100 people who wrote or spread malicious posts, accusing them of violating laws related to the promotion of information networks and information protection (including defamation), spreading false information, insult, malicious slander, and infringement of personal rights and privacy. As a result of investigations by law enforcement agencies, criminal charges were confirmed against some suspects, leading to many cases being transferred to prosecutors or proceeding to criminal trials.

Some of these individuals received summary court orders from the courts requiring them to pay fines ranging from 2 million won to 7 million won. Additional cases are still under processing, with prosecutors also requesting fine penalties in related matters. The agency emphasized that this outcome demonstrates that even those using anonymous accounts to post malicious content can have their identities identified through law enforcement investigations, resulting in actual criminal punishment.

Galaxy Corporation reaffirmed its commitment to taking strong action moving forward. It warned that it will enforce a zero-tolerance policy, responding strictly to illegal acts that cause severe harm without any leniency or settlement. The agency also added that it is taking all possible civil and criminal legal actions against any newly identified violations of rights.

The scope of legal actions is broad. The rights violations cited by Galaxy Corporation include spreading false information and malicious rumors, insults and mockery, infringement of personal information and privacy, sexual harassment and objectification, creation and distribution of synthetic images, videos, and audio, as well as organized dissemination of malicious posts. The agency stressed that not only the original poster but also those who repeatedly share or reproduce such malicious content cannot avoid legal responsibility.

Even after posts are deleted or accounts are set to private, the agency continues to pursue legal proceedings based on evidence already obtained. Using the collected proof, Galaxy Corporation plans to hold accountable all ongoing cases to the end and respond swiftly to any newly identified illegal activities.

Recently, the entertainment industry has shown a trend of taking more stringent actions against hate comments. While in the past such cases often ended with mere warning statements, nowadays there is an increasing number of instances where evidence is gathered first, leading to large-scale lawsuits and civil and criminal actions. This indicates that those who spread false information or engage in malicious slander under the cover of online anonymity can still face actual punishment.

Meanwhile, the group BIGBANG, of which G-Dragon is a member, is set to make a full-group comeback after nine years through a world tour to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The first concert will take place from August 21 to 23 at the main stadium of Goyang Sports Complex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, with a total of 32 performances scheduled across 18 cities in North America and Europe following this.