Comedian Park Soo-hong has been reported to be accused of blackmail, and Park's side has announced plans to respond with claims of "false accusation."
According to the Seoul Gangnam Police Station on the 29th, a representative director of a food company, identified as A, filed a complaint against Park Soo-hong for blackmail on the 14th of this month.
Earlier, Park Soo-hong's agency filed a lawsuit against A's company in 2023, claiming it used Park Soo-hong's face for advertising without permission, demanding a contract payment of about 500 million won. The lawsuit is currently under review at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court, and A's side has reportedly claimed that "Park Soo-hong and I have a partnership relationship" and asserted that the lawsuit aims to gain a larger profit than the original contract by demanding 5-10% of total sales.
In this context, A has claimed that Lawyer B, who represented Park Soo-hong's legal team, made statements to A such as "I sincerely apologize and beg for forgiveness, saying it's a grave sin" and "you should kneel and plead for your life" just before filing the lawsuit in June 2023.
A further stated, "When I did not accept Park Soo-hong's demands, I was pressured by leveraging the influence and status of a famous celebrity and lawyer," adding, "B threatened that he would lead the company to bankruptcy, and even those involved in transactions with me would suffer harm," while claiming that B's actions were directed by Park Soo-hong and submitted the complaint against Park Soo-hong instead of B.
In relation to this, Park Soo-hong's legal representative, law firm (Limited) Lin, released an official statement on the 30th, saying, "Park Soo-hong learned about A's complaint of blackmail through media reports on the 29th. Since he has not yet received the complaint and is unaware of the exact content, it is suspected that this has been extensively reported as a media play aimed at damaging his image as a celebrity."
Park Soo-hong's side also stated, "In September 2023, we filed a claim for payment of about 500 million won against A's company for using Park Soo-hong's face in advertisements for over a year, and the case is currently under review at the Seongnam branch of the Suwon District Court. A has not only refused to accept a reconciliation decision ordering him to pay some of the model fees to Park Soo-hong but has also been confirmed to have not paid the manufacturing companies, leading to this complaint. It is incomprehensible that A suddenly raises this issue 'two years' later, and the motive is suspicious."
Furthermore, "Most importantly, A's claim is that he heard threatening words from Park Soo-hong's legal representative in the past," and emphasized, "This means that he has never directly heard such words from Park Soo-hong, and submitting a complaint against Park Soo-hong, who is not the perpetrator, may constitute a false accusation. Additionally, Park Soo-hong reiterates that he is not involved in this matter and is considering a firm legal response against A's baseless and false claims that harm Park Soo-hong's reputation."
Meanwhile, police are reportedly investigating A's complaint and are expected to call both sides soon to confirm the facts.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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