YouTuber Gujeyeok Who Blackmailed Tzuyang Receives Additional Prison Term for Defaming Other Broadcasters

[The Financial News] YouTuber Gujeyeok (real name Lee Jun-hee), who was sentenced to prison on appeal for extorting money from mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang (real name Park Jung-won) by blackmailing her, has now been given an additional two-year prison term on charges including defaming other broadcasters.
On the 26th, Judge Kim Su-jeong of the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 11 sentenced Lee, who was charged with defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection and other offenses, to two years in prison and a fine of 15 million won.
Judge Kim Su-jeong stated, "The defendant behaved on YouTube as if there were no laws, so there is a need for a stern punishment. He did not properly verify extremely sensitive matters about others, such as their sex lives or criminal records, and distorted the facts to broadcast false information." The judge continued, "He repeatedly broadcast sensitive content, freely used discriminatory and insulting expressions, and there is almost nothing in his broadcasts that can be recognized as serving the public interest."
The judge added, "Despite the malicious nature of the crimes and the seriousness of their consequences, the defendant denies all the charges and shows no remorse. He even makes the absurd claim that he is merely using entertainment techniques in his YouTube broadcasts." Explaining the reasons for the sentence, the judge said, "Although he has submitted letters of apology several times, he does not appear to empathize with the victims' suffering or to be genuinely remorseful, and instead seems to be consistently focused on justifying his own actions."
However, the court found Lee not guilty with respect to some of his remarks, ruling that while the victims may have felt offended, those statements did not constitute criminally punishable acts. For certain other charges where the victims did not wish to see him punished, the court dismissed the indictment.
Gujeyeok was brought to trial on charges that he spread false information implying that "broadcaster A held an orgy after using drugs," thereby obstructing A's broadcasting work, and that he defamed and insulted multiple other victims, including former Navy officer Ken Rhee, internet broadcasting BJs, a lawyer, and a YouTuber who is a former soldier.
Previously, Gujeyeok was indicted on charges of extorting money by blackmailing Tzuyang, a YouTuber with 10 million subscribers, and in an appeal hearing held last September, he was also sentenced to three years in prison.


gaa1003@fnnews.com Reporter An Gaeul Reporter