SM Entertainment, the agency representing EXO's leader Suho and members of the girl group aespa (Karina, Ningning, Winter, Giselle), confirmed on September 4th that they filed a lawsuit against the operator of the controversial online platform "Taldeoksooyongso" in April. The first trial was held on September 2nd.

The operator, identified as Mr. A, has been charged with violating the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, among other charges related to defamation. The first trial took place at the Incheon District Court on September 2nd.

Mr. A has been accused of producing malicious videos from October 2021 to June of the previous year, targeting several celebrities, including IVE's Jang Wonyoung, members of BTS, and solo artist Kang Daniel. The videos are said to have defamed and insulted these public figures, allegedly generating around 250 million KRW (approximately 190,000 USD) in profit.

During the trial, Mr. A admitted to producing the videos but denied the charges of defamation and obstruction of business. His defense attorney argued that there was no intent to defame and that Mr. A believed the content to be truthful, claiming that the videos were simply expressions of opinion and therefore should not be considered defamatory.

Jang Wonyoung and her agency, Starship Entertainment, have also filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. A, which is currently ongoing. In January, the Seoul Central District Court ruled partially in favor of Jang Wonyoung, awarding damages, but Mr. A has since appealed the decision and requested a suspension of enforcement. Despite attempts at mediation, both parties have yet to reach an agreement.

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