Squid Game actor Gong Yoo vindicated in defamation case, woman gets suspended sentence for false harassment claims

Squid Game actor Gong Yoo vindicated in defamation case, woman gets suspended sentence for false harassment claims

Gong Yoo, the acclaimed South Korean actor known for his roles in Squid Game, Goblin, and Train to Busan, has finally received justice in a defamation case that has cast a long shadow over his public image.

On July 29, the Daejeon District Court’s Criminal Division 5 ruled in favour of the actor, sentencing a woman—identified only as "A"—to six months in prison, suspended for two years of probation.

Between January 2020 and March 2021, the woman, who is in her 40s, posted a staggering 235 defamatory comments and online posts accusing Gong Yoo of harassment.

She claimed he had been threatening her continuously and even went as far as commenting during a live broadcast hosted by the actor in January 2020, stating, "I’m being threatened from behind, and there isn’t a single day I haven’t been threatened," and, "He torments me to the point of neurosis."

Following an in-depth investigation, it was revealed that Gong Yoo had no personal connection to the woman and that her claims were entirely fabricated.

The court ruled that her statements were "completely groundless" and constituted a serious violation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

Also Read: Sonam Raghuwanshi murder mystery, ‘Honeymoon in Shillong’ film to tell the chilling story, director meets victim husband Raja's brothers

The ruling emphasized the seriousness of the offense, particularly given Gong Yoo’s public status. "Even though the victim is a public figure and naturally subject to public attention, the nature of the crime is very serious," the court stated.

Adding further weight to the decision, the court acknowledged that the accused had two prior convictions for similar offenses. However, her admission of guilt and stated intention to seek treatment contributed to the court’s decision to issue a suspended sentence rather than immediate imprisonment.