The Korean entertainment industry has once again fallen prey to the dangers of fake news, rendering celebrities helpless.
Top stars like Yoo Jae Suk, Choi Soo Jong and Ha Hee Ra, Kim Yuna and Ko Woo Rim, Baek Jong Won and So Yoo Jin, have suffered from unfounded rumors and baseless claims.
Now, Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin have become the latest addition to this growing list, embroiled in rumors of divorce due to alleged gambling and financial troubles.
Recently, a fake news story began circulating on YouTube, claiming that the couple had agreed to a divorce on March 15th. The rumors suggested that Hyun Bin had gambled away a fortune of 10 billion won while in the Philippines, resulting in significant financial losses for Son Ye Jin and prompting her to seek a divorce.
However, both sides have denied the allegations, calling them groundless. The couple’s respective agencies have stated that they are monitoring the situation and are considering taking legal action against those responsible for spreading these false rumors.
Unfortunately, the damage has already been done, and the psychological impact on the celebrities cannot be underestimated.
An official from the entertainment industry told Ten Asia, “When artists are embroiled in such ridiculous rumors, the mental damage on them is enormous. The phrase ‘killing a person with a pen’ can be used here.”
Rumors can ruin reputations and destroy careers. While agencies vow to take legal action, the reality is that there is very little that can be done to prevent the spread of fake news.
Fake news producers often face minimal consequences, as platforms like YouTube and Instagram can only take limited actions such as deleting false reports and suspending accounts for a short period.
Creators of fake news can easily take a break before creating new rumors, and the cycle of misinformation continues. The lack of legal measures also adds to the problem, as platforms like YouTube and Instagram, whose founding countries are in the US, make it difficult to identify the producers and take legal action.
Furthermore, current Korean laws do not include specific measures against the production of fake news by independent media outlets. This is a critical issue, as the number of independent media outlets on platforms like YouTube and Instagram continues to grow.
There are calls for new regulations to be implemented to address the legal status and regulation of independent media outlets and platform operators.
In the past, malicious commenters were common on domestic platforms and internet communities. But now, these same individuals have migrated to single-person media platforms like YouTube and Instagram to launch more aggressive attacks on celebrities.
As a result, celebrities are left feeling vulnerable and frustrated as they become easy targets for those spreading false rumors.
