Singer and actress Son Dam-bi won a partial judgment in her lawsuit against online commenters who targeted her with abusive remarks tied to her brother-in-law’s sexual assault case.
According to a Jan. 7 report by Herald Economy, the Seoul Western District Court ordered two individuals to pay Son 300,000 won and 200,000 won, respectively, totaling 500,000 won in damages. The ruling came from the court’s Civil Division 12.
Back in September 2022, after Son’s brother-in-law―former speed skater Lee Gyu-hyun―was arrested and indicted on charges including attempted sexual assault, indecent act, and illegal filming against a teenage student, Son became the target of hostile comments on related news articles. Lee’s convictions were later finalized, and he is serving a four-year prison sentence.
Among the remarks cited in court were insults such as, “She married into a rapist’s family,” and, “She married for money―serves her right,” directly aimed at Son.
Before the statute of limitations ran out, Son filed suit in February last year, seeking a combined 23 million won in damages from two commenters. She later withdrew separate claims against three others during the proceedings.
In its decision, the court found that the defendants infringed on Son’s personal rights by posting derogatory and demeaning language, establishing liability for emotional distress. The amount awarded reflected the content of the comments, the severity of the expressions used, and other circumstances revealed during the trial.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)