South Korean actor Han Ji-sang catches malicious commentor on X with US headquarters' assistance

South Korean actor Han Ji-sang identified a netizen who wrote malicious and defamatory comments against him on X, with the help of US headquarters. On September 2, Sports World, a Korean media agency, reported about Han Ji-sang's lawsuit against a netizen on social media app X (formerly Twitter).

The prosecution has charged the netizen, who used X to make malicious posts about the musical actor. Previously, it was difficult to attain cooperation during the investigation of such cases, as X's headquarters are in the United States.

However, this indictment is expected to make way for other international celebrities and artists to report such malicious posts, and file complaints against them, with no further difficulties.

Law firm Decode, who legally represented Han Ji-sang in this case, made an official statement through the actor's management company C-JeS Studios, regarding the charges against the X netizens, stating:

“The prosecution judged that the netizen who posted the defamatory comment about Han Ji-sang constituted defamation by stating false facts and indicted them.”

Who is Han Ji-sang? Actor's lawsuit against an X netizen, explained

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Han Ji-sang began his acting journey in the 2003 musical Grease. He has also performed in stage plays like Frankenstein (2014, 2018), Bonnie & Clyde (2013), A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder (2018), King Arthur (2019), Musical M (2022), and more.

He has also appeared in Korean dramas namely Rosy Lovers, Working Mom Parenting Daddy, Haechi, Catch the Ghost, and Unlock My Boss. He made a cameo appearance in the initial episodes of the popular 2018 comedy-drama series Welcome to Waikiki.

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Recently, the actor decided to file a legal complaint against malicious and defamatory posts made by a netizen on X.

On September 2, following Sports World’s reports, the musical actor's lawyers from Decode Law Firm shared the details regarding the legal proceedings through Ji-sang's management company, C-JeS Studios.

The representatives stated that it took three months of investigation to find the person behind the hate comments and posts on X. Following the investigation, the prosecution charged the netizen for spreading false information, recognizing it as an illegal act. They stated,

“After three months of intensive investigation, the police identified and investigated the netizen who posted the defamatory comment about actor Han Ji-sang, and the prosecution judged through evidence that the netizen’s act on August 12 constituted defamation by stating false facts and indicted them.”

They further added,

“Through the decision of this judicial institution, it has been confirmed that the indiscriminate witch hunt by some fans regarding actor Han Ji-sang based on one-sided claims is a serious illegal act, including a violation of freedom of expression.”

Similar cases regarding defamation & malicious posts online

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Previously, other South Korean agencies like Starship Entertainment were also able to obtain information regarding a YouTuber Sojang, and filed a legal complaint against her. Sojang made malicious and defamatory videos against Starship Entertainment’s artist Jang Wonyoung, a member of the girl group IVE.

Jang Wonyoung's agency acquired permission from the US court, as the headquarters of X is located in the United States, to find the personal information of the YouTuber. In the first trial, Sojang was sentenced to pay 100 million KRW to Jang Wonyoung. The YouTuber, however, re-appealed in court.

Artists like Kang Daniel, BTS’ Kim Taehyung and Jungkook, EXO's Suho, and aespa members Karina, Giselle, Winter, and NingNing have also sued Sojang for defamation.