Kim Soo Hyun AI Scandal, Lee Sun Kyun’s Death Leads Public Demand For Anti-Cyberbullying Law
The country of South Korea is witnessing a rise in cyberbullying, AI manipulation, and defamation controversies in the entertainment industry.
The country of South Korea is witnessing a rise in cyberbullying, AI manipulation, and defamation controversies in the entertainment industry. The most recent and the biggest one involved actor Kim Soo Hyun, who was attacked with AI-generated content alleging he dated Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. This has pushed public frustration to a boiling point, leading to outrage.
Kim Soo Hyun Controversy
Known for its history of pushing hate campaigns and forging scandals, controversial YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute, is again at the centre of attention. Their latest claims against Kim Soo Hyun triggered the public massive public backlash. Fans and netizens opposed the abuse of artificial intelligence to make defamatory content against him. In response to this, the actor has filed a legal complaint against both Garosero and Kim Sae Ron’s family. He cited the reasons to be defamation, stalking, and harassment.
This reignited calls for legal reform, compounding the unexpected suicide of Lee Sun Kyun in 2023, who also went through intense blackmail and slander. Known for his role in Parasite, Lee was found to have been a target of malicious and unsubstantiated defamation. Though many individuals involved in his harassing were arrested, the loss had already happened.
There has been a growing public demand of accountability has took form in a petition called ‘Gaseyeon Prevention Act.’ This proposed legislation aims at fighting digital defamation, misinformation through AI, cyber bullying, and malicious online rumours. It not only aims at protecting celebrities, but also all citizens from a similar harm. The petition needs to reach 50,000 signatures in 30 days, and has already been signed by 15,800 people.
This also brings attention to the psychological trauma caused by platforms like Garosero, contributing to cases of suicide. Support for this act has been growing from singer Kim Gun Mo, Park Soo Hong, Han Ye Seul, and YouTuber Tzuyang.
First Published: May 31, 2025 11:10 AM
