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Outraged stars to file charges against cyber bullies

January 12, 2016

Junsu, left, and Lee Jung-jae.

Korean celebrities and their agencies are getting bolder with cyber bullies, having determined to fight in court those spreading false facts and slandering the stars.

Singer Junsu from K-pop boy band JYJ said he would legally challenge cyber bullies who slandered him and spread false information, according to the singer’s management company C-Jes Entertainment, Saturday. The online attacks reportedly increased after it was confirmed this month that he was dating singer Honey from girl group EXID.

The company said it would identify and sue the bullies for defamation.

“Our lawyer will analyze digital traces left by the bullies and decide whether to file a suit with the prosecutors’ office or to report the matter to Gangnam cyber police,” Yonhap news agency quoted a company official as saying.

Actor Lee Jung-jae, also from the company, sued 50 cyber bullies in Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office in November 2015 on charges of spreading false information. The bullies began to attack Lee after it was confirmed last January he was dating a daughter of Daesang’s chairman.

FNC Entertainment, which handles popular K-pop bands and top comedians like AOA, FT Island, CNBLUE and Yoo Jae-seok, released a press release Monday, warning cyber bullies.

Denouncing the bullies’ baseless arguments and personally harassing comments, the company said the bullies hurt not just the stars, but their families and friends.

In the past, stars tended to forgive cyber bullies, considering their attacks “a sign of interest.” But the language has become violent and extreme.

For example, after singer Hong Jin-young revealed that she had a colon polyp, cyber bullies said they were “disappointed it wasn’t cancer.”