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YouTuber GooJeYeok gets additional prison term for defamation

Published: 26 Jan. 2026, 20:08

Lee Jun-hee, known by his YouTube alias GooJeYeok, arrives at the Suwon District Prosecutors Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on July 26, 2024, to attend a court hearing to review a warrant for his arrest. [NEWS1]

A lower court on Monday sentenced YouTuber GooJeYeok to an additional prison term for defaming internet streamers, as he continues to appeal a separate conviction for extorting money from mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang.

GooJeYeok, whose real name is Lee Jun-hee, was convicted of posting false statements about streaming personalities, including former Navy officer Ken Rhee and several livestreaming hosts, on his YouTube channel between 2022 and 2024.

The Suwon District Court’s Criminal Division sentenced Lee to two years in prison and a 15 million won ($10,400) fine for violating Korea’s Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

“The defendant acted on YouTube as if there were no law, making stern punishment necessary,” the court said in its ruling. “He distorted facts and broadcast false information about highly sensitive matters, including victims’ sex lives and criminal histories, without proper verification, while publicly exposing their identities and destroying their lives.”

The court said the victims appeared “extremely psychologically affected” during the trial and described Lee’s conduct as malicious and harmful. It also cited his denial of the charges and lack of remorse in determining the sentence.

The court acquitted Lee on some counts and dismissed charges in cases where the victims did not seek punishment.

Lee separately received a three-year prison sentence in both the trial and appellate courts for extorting 55 million won from YouTuber Tzuyang, known for her eating videos, by threatening to publicize allegations about her private life. He is currently detained while the Supreme Court reviews his extortion case.

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 HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]