Lawyer Criticizing Kim Soo-hyun Sent to Detention

Kim Se-ui, head of the Gaseyeon (Garo Sero Research Institute), was sent to prosecutors on charges of fabricating voice recordings related to Kim Soo-hyun and defamation. In light of this, lawyer Lee Ji-hoon of the YouTube channel 'Knowing Lawyer,' who had previously criticized Kim Soo-hyun, announced that he would make all related videos private. Lawyer Lee explained that police investigations revealed Kim Se-ui fabricated Kim Soo-hyun's KakaoTalk account and voice recordings, leading to his arrest and investigation. Consequently, he announced that videos related to Kim Soo-hyun filmed based on Kim Se-ui's fabricated materials would be taken down, as they could be seen as condoning criminal acts.

In April of last year, lawyer Lee Ji-hoon strongly criticized Kim Soo-hyun on his YouTube channel when allegations of a relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron, who was a minor at the time, surfaced. At the time, he questioned Kim Soo-hyun's claim during a press conference that he dated Kim Sae-ron for about a year after they both became adults, stating, "I don't understand the part about dating for a year as if he was waiting until she became an adult." He also expressed doubts about the credibility of the KakaoTalk analysis results released by Kim Soo-hyun's side and speculated about Kim Soo-hyun's tears, saying, "​It's only natural to be afraid when you're living a fake life." Furthermore, he faced criticism for posting a poll with the title "​What is the psychology of a 31-year-old man dating a female student who just turned 19?" and presenting inappropriate answer choices.

Kim Se-ui, head of the Gaseyeon, is accused of defamation for allegedly dating Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor, claiming that Kim Soo-hyun's side pressured Kim Sae-ron to repay debts, which led to her death, and using AI-fabricated audio as evidence of their relationship. In relation to this, Kim Se-ui was arrested on the 26th of last month and sent to prosecutors on the 4th. The legal community views this arrest as the court putting a stop to the behavior of YouTubers who gain views and revenue by spreading false and fabricated information. Lawyers explained that even in cases of defamation, individuals can be arrested if the damage is severe or if public dissemination is recognized. They added that courts cannot help but heavily consider situations where false information is spread, causing significant harm to the other party while the disseminator profits. This case is expected to serve as a symbolic example that could instill a sense of caution in cyber attackers and SNS-based spreaders of false information.