Choi Il-hwan (41), the operator of the YouTube channel 'Badass Bootcamp' and vocalist of the band Victim Mentality, has been given a suspended sentence for spreading false information about guitarist Shin Dae-chul (58) and former naval officer and YouTuber Ken Rhee (41).
On May 29, the Seoul Southern District Court's 3rd Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Han Jeong-seok) convicted Choi of defamation, violation of the Information and Communications Network Act, and obstruction of business, sentencing him to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, along with 160 hours of community service. The trial consolidated two cases, with Shin Dae-chul and Ken Rhee each being victims.
In July 2021, Choi broadcasted on his YouTube channel claims that Shin Dae-chul "succumbed to power, mingling with politicians to gain economic benefits from local festival projects in Mapo District." He also accused the Barun Music Cooperative, founded by Shin, of being a "non-existent paper company," repeating these claims multiple times.
However, the court stated in its verdict, "Victim Shin has never succumbed to power or engaged in unfair practices, nor has he benefited from festivals through political connections. Furthermore, the Barun Music Cooperative is not a paper company, and the defendant's definitive statements have damaged Shin's reputation."
Choi also accused Ken Rhee of fabricating his educational background by claiming to have graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy between June and August 2023, and alleged that Rhee demanded a daily fee of 30 million won during the Sewol ferry disaster civilian diving operations. However, the court confirmed that Rhee actually graduated from the Virginia Military Institute, and the '30 million won' statement was found to be false.
Additionally, Choi slandered a cosmetic product sold by Rhee, claiming it contained "endocrine disruptors and toxic substances." The court found, "Choi had not even conducted an ingredient analysis on the product, which, in fact, had passed official verification and was confirmed to be safe for distribution."
Choi's repeated use of profanity towards Rhee during broadcasts was also acknowledged as defamation.
The court stated, "Using the powerful platform of YouTube to deliberately spread false information repeatedly has caused significant mental distress to the victims. Despite this, the defendant has made no effort to apologize or compensate for the damage," explaining the reason for the suspended sentence.
Regarding the verdict, Ken Rhee expressed to SBS Entertainment News, "I had hoped for a prison sentence, but it's disappointing that it ended with a suspended sentence. The YouTube channel operated by Choi is still active, and cyber trolls continue to spread misinformation, posing a significant social issue." Both the prosecution and Choi have appealed the decision. Rhee is currently pursuing a civil lawsuit against Choi for 50 million won.
In addition, Choi is also facing charges of conspiring to extort YouTuber Tzuyang along with other YouTubers in August 2023, for which he was fined 5 million won in February of last year and has since appealed.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)