Kim Se-eui, who leads the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute (Gaseyeon), was sent to trial on charges of stalking and intimidation against the popular YouTuber "Tzuyang" (legal name Park Jeong-won).
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office's Second Women and Children Crime Investigation Division (headed by Director General Park Ji-na) said on the 1st that on the 31st it indicted Kim without detention on charges including defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, violation of the anti-stalking law, and intimidation.
Kim is accused of using the YouTube channel to spread false information about Park and to continuously and repeatedly stream content that exposes Park's private life.
Prosecutors said Kim produced and distributed provocative videos using Park's private life as material to obtain economic gains such as fundraising for donations. They determined that Kim pressured Park to broadcast an explanation and continued malicious slander, causing irreparable harm.
Earlier, in July 2024, Kim claimed that Park had been blackmailed by the YouTuber "Gujaeyeok" (legal name Lee June-hee), using Park's past work history at an entertainment venue as leverage, and released related audio recordings without Park's consent.
Afterward, Park confessed, "I worked at an entertainment venue due to assault and coercion by a former boyfriend," but Kim continued broadcasts suggesting that the explanation was untrue and was sued by Park.
Early in the case, police cited insufficient evidence and decided not to refer Kim for prosecution in Feb. last year. However, prosecutors accepted Park's appeal and ordered police to supplement the investigation.
During this process, Park's side refused to be questioned, protesting that "the willingness to investigate is in doubt," and the Gangnam Police Station reassigned the case to a new investigative team. Police later concluded that the charges were established and sent the case to prosecutors in Sept. last year.
A prosecution official said, "We will respond sternly to offenders who distribute malicious content that seriously infringes on victims' rights of personality in the online space, which has significant reach, under the pretext of 'public interest' or 'private sanctions.'"