SM Entertainment Announces Legal Action Against Impersonators

SM Entertainment

On July 11, SM Entertainment made a big move toward resolving a serious problem that their artists were experiencing: impersonation and theft of personal information. The firm made a thorough statement available on KWANGYA 119, a fan platform where fans can submit problems pertaining to SM musicians. 

Details of The Incident 

Theft and impersonation: In April 2023, during a live broadcast on X (previously Twitter), a group of people posing as delivery drivers stole the personal information of three NCT members and one EXO member. This is a major invasion of privacy because these impersonators obtained the artists’ addresses and made this private information public.

Legal Action: Through fan reports and their own monitoring efforts, SM Entertainment amassed a significant amount of evidence. They filed a lawsuit alleging violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, designating SHIN&KIM Law Firm (LLC) as their legal agent. Two of the four suspects the police identified as having direct participation in the incident were recommended for indictment.

Court proceedings: During the most recent trial, the accused entered pleas to all counts, stating that their actions were motivated by their admiration for the musicians. They also asked for leniency. The court fined each of the two principal defendants 3 million won (about $2,200) in spite of their protests. SM Entertainment acknowledged that the fan reports were essential in resolving this problem.

Ongoing Issues 

Persistent Privacy Violations: Regrettably, there have been ongoing attempts by outside parties to obtain and exploit the personal data of artists. The artists, who are already coping with the demands of celebrity, have experienced severe psychological pain as a result of these activities.

Zero Tolerance Policy: SM Entertainment reaffirmed their dedication to safeguarding their artists and upholding a strict policy of non-tolerance towards any infringement of privacy or unlawful activity. To protect the rights and reputations of their artists, the company is keeping a close eye on things and is actively pursuing legal action.

Call to Action: SM Entertainment issued an appeal to the public and fans to refrain from any acts that violate the privacy of the artists and to abstain from engaging in or endorsing such unlawful activity.

The organization continues to be watchful and awaits the resolution of multiple pending legal actions in order to better safeguard its artists against such dangers.

SM Entertainment’s Update 

Hello, this is SM Entertainment.

We would like to inform you about the results of the lawsuit regarding the personal information theft of one EXO member and three NCT members, who are artists under our company.

Regarding the incident in April 2023 where individuals impersonated delivery drivers during a live broadcast on X (Twitter) and stole the personal information of the artists, we collected substantial evidence through fan reports and our own monitoring. We appointed SHIN&KIM Law Firm (LLC) as our legal representative and filed a complaint for violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

In this incident, the accused impersonated delivery drivers during a live broadcast with many viewers, stole the artists’ addresses, and broadcasted this information, thereby committing a crime by exposing the artists’ personal information to the public. At that time, the police identified four individuals involved in the live broadcast as suspects and forwarded two of them to the prosecution with recommendations for indictment for directly calling the artists.

In the trial that proceeded recently, the defendants admitted to all the charges, claiming they committed the crime out of fan love for the artists and pleaded for leniency. However, we inform you that the two defendants were each sentenced to a fine of 3 million won (approximately $2,200). We deeply appreciate the significant interest and valuable reports from fans that enabled us to take legal action against such illegal activities targeting our artists.

Even now, acts of unauthorizedly obtaining and calling the artists’ phone numbers or visiting their homes have been ongoing for a long time. Although the artists have endured these intrusions because they are celebrities, they have reached a level that is difficult for an individual to handle, and they are suffering severe psychological distress. We reiterate that such acts are not expressions of interest in the artists but serious crimes that instill fear and cause psychological harm to them.

Additionally, to protect our artists, we are continuously monitoring and taking legal action against such acts and any infringements on the artists’ rights and reputations, adhering to a principle of zero tolerance. We are awaiting the results of several ongoing lawsuits. We urge you to immediately cease any acts that invade the artists’ privacy and be careful not to get involved in any unfortunate incidents.

Thank you.

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