The formal process of tracking down the individuals responsible for posting malicious content about IVE's Jang Wonyoung has officially begun.
On the 18th, Sports DongA reported that Starship Entertainment announced they are continuing strong legal action against anyone who has posted malicious content and spread false information about Jang Wonyoung. The agency stated:
"According to a recent update from the investigative authorities, investigations are currently underway to identify the suspects and secure evidence."
Specifically, the authorities are currently working to obtain user information from domestic platforms where a lot of the malicious content was shared, like DC Inside and Naver Blogs. For users on overseas platforms like X (formerly Twitter), they are using international legal channels to identify the authors and obtain relevant data.
Starship Entertainment explained that they have been continuously collecting evidence through their own monitoring and reports from fans. The company emphasized that they are taking every possible legal measures, including criminal complaints and civil lawsuits for damages, against actions that violate their artists' rights, such as defamation, insults, spreading false information, sexual harassment, and invasion of privacy. They also stressed:
"Even if the posts are deleted, the accounts are deactivated or switched to private, we intent to hold those responsible accountable to the very end using the evidence we have already secured."
Malicious cyberattacks targeting Jang Wonyoung have been a problem for a long time. Starship Entertainment has consistently fought back against the spread of false information and defamation, most notably winning the legal battle against the notorious cyber-wrecker Youtube channel, Sojang.
By taking legal action through a U.S. court, Starship Entertainment succeeded in identifying the anonymous channel owner who was hiding behind overseas servers, and also won the related lawsuits. The case began in 2022 and ended in January of this year when the channel owner's guilty verdict became final.
At the time, Starship Entertainment stated, "We will continue to take strong legal action against all illegal activities targeting our artists, including the spread of false information, malicious slander, defamation, and violations of personality rights, without any leniency or settlements."
