Former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin has officially won a lawsuit against malicious commenters, proving that online hate has consequences.

According to Herald Economy on the 19th, the Seoul Central District Court ruled partially in favor of Min in her lawsuit against eight netizens who left harmful comments.

The court ordered them to pay her between 50,000 and 100,000 KRW (about 37 to 75 USD) each in compensation.

The case is now closed, as neither Min nor the commenters appealed. She is also expected to win other ongoing cases against more malicious commenters.

Back in April last year, HYBE accused Min of trying to take control of ADOR and separate it from the company. After Min responded with two press conferences, online comments attacking her started flooding news articles.

Min then sued multiple commenters, stating their words caused her psychological harm. She originally demanded 3 million KRW (about 2,250 USD) per person in damages.

While the court agreed that the comments were defamatory, it set the final compensation at 50,000 to 100,000 KRW per person.

The highest fine of 100,000 KRW was given for a comment that simply read, "Just three words: crazy bh."* Other comments that led to 50,000 KRW fines included "I want to punch her in the face," "Trash-like bh,"* and "Psycho b**h."*

However, comments like "Cunning b**h"* were not considered defamatory. The court explained, "Although these words could be seen as offensive, they are relatively mild and not excessively malicious. They fall under strong personal opinions rather than a violation of personality rights."

Meanwhile, Min was removed as ADOR’s CEO in August last year. Then, on November 29, NewJeans members sent a notice to ADOR, stating they were terminating their exclusive contracts. But ADOR fought back with a lawsuit to confirm the validity of their contracts, arguing that "a company-artist contract cannot be unilaterally canceled just because one side claims so."

Despite the legal drama, NewJeans has continued their activities. ADOR also filed an injunction to keep its management rights over the group until the first trial ruling. This prevents NewJeans from signing any solo advertising deals or promotional activities without ADOR’s approval.

Amid the battle, NewJeans launched a public contest for a new group name and recently confirmed they will go by NJZ (EnJeiZ). The group is set to perform as a headliner at ComplexCon in Hong Kong on March 23, where they will premiere a new song.

The first trial for the lawsuit regarding their exclusive contracts is scheduled for April 3.

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Director Kim Hyung Joo of The Match has finally shared his thoughts on Yoo Ah In’s involvement in a drug scandal, calling it a major disappointment, especially considering the actor’s role as the lead in the film.

On March 19th, the director attended a press screening and briefing for The Match at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Seoul. Alongside Kim, actors Lee Byung Hun, Ko Chang Seok, Hyun Bong Sik, Moon Jung Hee, and Jo Woo Jin were present to discuss the film.

The Match revolves around the legendary Go player Cho Hun Hyun (played by Lee Byung Hun), who, after a loss to his disciple, decides to challenge the top players again, driven by his competitive spirit. The movie is directed by Kim Hyung Joo.

Lee Byung Hun plays the iconic Go champion Cho Hun Hyun, while Yoo Ah In portrays his disciple, Lee Chang Ho.

During the event, Kim recalled the casting process, saying, "When we were casting, Lee Byung Hun was cast first. Just having him felt like we had the world, and then, getting Yoo Ah In as a bonus made me even happier."

Although filming wrapped up in 2021, Yoo Ah In's drug scandal led to the indefinite postponement of the film’s release. Now, nearly four years later, The Match is finally set to hit theaters on March 26th.

Reflecting on Yoo Ah In's scandal, Director Kim openly shared his frustration, calling it "irresponsible and disappointing" for the actor to make such a mistake as the lead.

He added, “Before being an actor, he made a mistake as a member of society and was punished, so I don’t think there’s much more to say.” Kim smiled bitterly as he spoke.

Describing the challenges he faced due to the scandal, Kim compared the experience to being trapped in "a hellish tunnel."

He said, "There was nothing I could do inside, so it was overwhelming. But now that we have the light of release, it feels like I can breathe. I’m deeply moved."

The director also shared that because Yoo Ah In was the lead actor, the film had to be released as it was, without editing. This has led some people to feel uneasy about watching the film, given the actor’s scandal.

When asked about this, Director Kim said, "Choosing and judging is up to the audience, so I can't force anything. But I hope they watch the movie as it is. I unintentionally got hurt before the release, so I hope people watch the movie warmly, as if applying ointment to a wound."

The Match will officially be released on March 26th.

Source: [1]