Bae Suzy’s online troll charged after 8 years; man in 40s fined 500,000 KRW for malicious comments

The Supreme Court's final ruling on the online comments insulting Bae Suzy serves as a significant precedent in the context of online defamation and derogatory remarks against celebrities. While celebrities may be public figures, they still deserve protection from offensive and objectifying language.

'A national girl' considered an insult

The Supreme Court recently upheld a verdict of guilt for insulting popular actor Bae Suzy based on online comments made nearly eight years ago. The court concluded that the offensive remark, referring to Suzy as a ‘national hotel girl, violated Article 311 of the Korean Criminal Act. The court pointed out that the term national hotel girl conveyed an opposing image of Suzy's established reputation as an actress. Furthermore, it denounced her by sexually objectifying her, making the comment offensive and insulting.

On October 29, 2015, a man in his 40s wrote an online comment about Bae Suzy, describing her as a ‘bubble created by media manipulation’ and derogatorily referring to her as a ‘national hotel girl.’ Initially, in the first trial, on appeal, the man was ruled innocent. However, this time after the final verdict the man is charged 500,000 Korean Won.

Bae Suzy's achievement at the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards

Despite the legal proceedings, Suzy's career has continued to flourish. On July 19th, the 2nd Blue Dragon Series Awards (BSA) recognized her outstanding performance in the Coupang Play original series Anna. Suzy received the prestigious Best Actress in a Leading Role award for her portrayal of the character Anna. In the drama series Anna, Suzy plays the character of Anna, a woman tired of her monotonous life. She embarks on a journey that leads her to live an entirely different life, attracting attention from people and evoking envy from others. The show depicts her transformation from a mundane existence to one filled with intrigue, driven by a small lie that sets her on a path of self-discovery.

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