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Female contestant from dating show 'I Am Solo' fined for slapping man, smashing his phone

Published: 24 Jun. 2025, 16:29 Updated: 24 Jun. 2025, 23:02

A 47-year-old woman surnamed Choi, who appeared on the dating reality show ″I Am Solo″ in 2022, shown here, was found guilty of assault and property damage by the Daegu District Court on June 24. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A female contestant from the ENA and SBS Plus reality dating show “I Am Solo” (2021-) was fined 7 million won ($5,140) for slapping a man six times and damaging his phone during an altercation last year.

The 47-year-old woman surnamed Choi, who appeared under the pseudonym Jeong-suk in 2022, was found guilty of assault and property damage by the Daegu District Court on Tuesday.

“While the defendant admitted to all charges, showed remorse and appears to have acted somewhat impulsively under the influence of alcohol, the nature of the crime is severe,” the court said.

“The assault stemmed from a dispute over getting in a taxi, the defendant broke the victim’s phone, and no settlement was reached. The defendant also has a prior conviction for a similar offense.”

During the trial, Choi reportedly said, “He’s refusing to settle,” when asked why a settlement hadn’t been reached. Although she admitted to the charges, Choi also claimed that the victim had made a sexually suggestive remark, though the court noted there was no audio evidence of this.

The incident occurred in October 2024, when Choi got into a dispute with a man over boarding a taxi. Choi assaulted the man and smashed his phone after dropping it to the floor, according to prosecutors. She also allegedly hurled verbal abuse at the man in front of bystanders, leading to an additional criminal insult charge.

On June 12, prosecutors had requested a six-month prison sentence.

Choi has also appeared in spinoffs, including “I Am Solo: Love Continues” (2022-).

Separately, Choi is under police investigation for allegedly selling counterfeit items as luxury goods during a charity auction she organized.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM JUNG-SEOK [[email protected]]