"The Sex Offender Label Was All False"... Han Ji-sang's Four-Year 'Witch Hunt' Comes to an End

[Financial News] The team of musical actor Han Ji-sang, who had been plagued for years by allegations of sexual misconduct and online defamation, has brought a long-running controversy to a close by abruptly releasing the prosecutor's indictment.
On the 2nd, Blue Stage, Han Ji-sang's agency, released the contents of the indictment in an official statement, saying, "The victim, Han Ji-sang, did not commit any sex crimes, and he has never been punished in connection with such allegations." This legally confirmed that the 'sex offender' label and malicious slander directed at Han Ji-sang since 2020 were all baseless falsehoods.
According to the indictment, the defendant, identified as A, repeatedly posted defamatory messages on social media for about four years, from November 2020 to September 2024, referring to Han Ji-sang as a 'sex offender.' It was also revealed that A engaged in organized and malicious defamation by sending emails containing false claims to tip-off accounts used by major overseas media outlets, including CNN.
In the indictment, prosecutors stated, "The defendant defamed Han Ji-sang by openly spreading false information through an information and communications network for the purpose of slander," and added, "By distributing false information, the defendant interfered with the actor's normal work, including his performances." Accordingly, prosecutors filed a summary order in May seeking a fine of 3 million won for the defendant.
Han Ji-sang faced the biggest crisis of his acting career after being caught up in sexual harassment allegations that began with anonymous claims in 2020. As a result, he was forced out of projects he had been scheduled to appear in and endured a one-sided boycott campaign and personal attacks.
In March this year, he was appointed as a lecturer in the Department of Acting and Arts at his alma mater, Sungkyunkwan University, but the appointment was later canceled after malicious allegations circulating online resurfaced and drew backlash from students. His agency said, "It is not natural for a public figure to have to endure false claims and indiscriminate attacks simply because he is a celebrity," expressing the pain he has suffered over the years.
In March, Han Ji-sang's team also tried to confront the issue head-on through his personal YouTube channel, revealing the facts of the case and releasing a recording in which the other party directly admitted that no illegal act had taken place. The release of the indictment now shows that, through the judicial process, it has been clearly confirmed that spreading false information is a criminal act.
Blue Stage reiterated, "We hope this case will fully restore the actor's reputation," adding, "We will continue to respond firmly and legally, without any leniency, to the spread of baseless false information and online witch hunts."
moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter