Korean Supreme Court convicts man for objectifying Bae Suzy in 2015

The Korean Supreme Court convicted a man for making malicious statements towards Suzy, former Miss A member and actress, after a lower court acquitted him following a trial.

For the unversed, in 2015, the accused had posted attacking comments on the internet. They read:

"This is just overrated press play. She’s just a national hotel girl, and "The movie was a total miss. Why did you put Suzy with ***? JYP’s press play is annoying."

However, in his defense, he said that his comments didn't cross a line and was meant as criticism for a public figure and company. During the trial, he said:

"The comment is content that legitimately criticizes the commerciality of entertainment agencies and is an expression of public interest in celebrities." (Translation via Koreaboo)

While the first trial found the accused guilty of defaming Suzy and imposed a fine of one million Korean won ($790), a second trial, ruled in his favor, stated that he was entitled to make those remarks within his right to speech.

On December 28, 2022 the second division of the Supreme Court (Presiding Judge Min Yoo-Sook) overturned the last ruling. The court found that while other comments could be considered as criticism of a public figure, the "National Hotel Girl" comment was condemnable by law.

The court's ruling stated:

"This phrase is a way of degrading Suzy as a sexual object while hinting at an image that is opposite to the image that Suzy appealed to the public."

It further added:

"It can be evaluated as a contemptuous expression that can lower the social image of Suzy, a female celebrity, and is not justifiable as it is out of the scope of legitimate criticism"

The accused was declared guilty of "objectifying" the idol and the case was referred back to the lower court for reconsideration. The court also ruled that hate comments will not be protected under "freedom of expression."

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Suzy to star in upcoming Netflix drama Doona

The idol turned actress will next be seen in a Netflix romance drama alongside Yang Se-jong. Titled Doona, the story will revolve around the relationship between a former K-pop idol and an ordinary college student.

She will play a retired idol in the coming-of-age drama, an adaptation of Min Song-ah's webtoon, The Girl Downstairs.

The series will be helmed by Crash Landing on You director Lee Jung-hyo, who has also directed other hit dramas including Romance is a Bonus Book and Life on Mars.

The I Don't Need A Man singer has previously played lead roles in While You Were Sleeping, Vagabond, Gu Family Book, Uncontrollably Fond, and Start-Up.

Moreover, she was most recently seen in a thriller mini-series Anna and in a sci-fi film Wonderland alongside A-listers Park Bo-gum, Choi Woo-shik and Jung Yu-mi.