YouTuber Gujae-eok's Defamation Conviction Upheld; Fined ₩3 Million

YouTuber Gujae-eok (real name Lee Jun-hee) has had his ₩3 million fine for defamation confirmed by the Supreme Court. The court rejected Gujae-eok's defense that his actions were purely intended to prevent secondary harm.

Gujae-eok was accused of damaging the reputation of another YouTuber by revealing their past sexual offenses on his channel three times between August and October 2020. He had initially sought a formal trial after being charged with a ₩3 million fine, arguing that the disclosure was in the public interest and lacked malicious intent.

Despite his claims of not profiting and acting to prevent further harm, both lower courts and the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the ₩3 million fine. Separately, Gujae-eok is currently in custody after being sentenced to three years in prison for charges including blackmailing YouTuber Tzuyang (real name Park Jeong-won).

Gujae-eok, whose real name is Lee Jun-hee, is known for his YouTube content exposing the past wrongdoings of other creators. This defamation ruling serves as a significant legal precedent regarding the boundaries of online commentary. He is currently incarcerated for separate charges involving extortion.