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Seoul court orders blackmailers to pay damages to YouTuber Tzuyang

Published: 27 Oct. 2025, 16:38 Updated: 28 Oct. 2025, 08:51

YouTuber Tzuyang answers questions from lawmakers during the 2025 parliamentary audit by the Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Oct. 14. [YONHAP]

YouTuber Tzuyang won a partial damages suit against two YouTubers who blackmailed her with threats to expose her personal life in exchange for money.

The Seoul Central District Court on Monday ordered Lee Jun-hee, 33, known online as “GoojeYeok,” to pay 75 million won ($52,000) to Tzuyang, whose legal name is Park Jeong-won. The court also ruled that Jeon Guk-jin, known as “Jujak Gambyulsa,” must jointly pay 50 million won of that amount.

Tzuyang filed the lawsuit after the two YouTubers threatened to leak details about her personal life unless she paid them. The court found that the threats and subsequent payment constituted extortion, partially upholding her claim for emotional damages. She had originally sought 100 million won from Lee and 50 million won from Jeon.

The case drew public attention after the YouTube channel “Hoverlab” claimed in July 2024 that Lee and Jeon had coerced money from Tzuyang under the pretext of exposing past scandals. In response, Tzuyang revealed on her own channel that she had suffered years of abuse from a former agent and boyfriend.

Lee and Jeon admitted in February 2023 that they demanded 55 million won in exchange for not publicizing a tip-off related to her private life. Tzuyang filed a damages suit in September last year, saying the two had caused her emotional distress.

Prosecutors indicted both Lee and Jeon in August that year. An appellate court on Sept. 5 upheld a three-year prison sentence for Lee. Jeon received a suspended one-year sentence with three years of probation and 160 hours of community service.

Tzuyang later appeared before the National Assembly’s Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on Oct. 14.

She testified about the lack of timely support from YouTube and other platforms while facing harassment and threats from cyber “lecca” creators — a Korean slang term for content creators who profit off gossip and scandals.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]