BTS’s V and Jungkook win appeal in damages lawsuit against YouTuber Sojang, court orders 86 million KRW (approx. 66,000 USD) compensation

BTS's V and Jungkook, have secured another partial victory in their damages lawsuit against YouTuber Sojang, as an appellate court ruled in their favor.

On January 23, the Seoul Western District Court’s Civil Appeals Division 2-1, presided over by Chief Judge Lee Joon Cheol, partially overturned the first-instance ruling in a lawsuit filed by V, Jungkook, and their agency Big Hit Music against Park (surname withheld), the operator of the YouTube channel Sojang.

The appellate court ordered Park to pay an additional 5 million KRW (approx. 3,800 USD) each to V and Jungkook, stating that the portions of the first ruling in which the two artists lost were partially overturned and that the defendant must provide additional compensation.

In the original ruling delivered in February last year, the court ordered Park to pay 51 million KRW (approx. 39,000 USD) to Big Hit Music, 10 million KRW (approx. 7,700 USD) to V, and 15 million KRW (approx. 11,500 USD) to Jungkook, resulting in a partial victory for the plaintiffs. If the appellate ruling is finalized, Park will be required to pay a total of 86 million KRW (approx. 66,000 USD) in damages to the BTS-related plaintiffs.

V and Jungkook filed the lawsuit in March 2024, seeking approximately 90 million KRW (approx. 69,000 USD) in damages. They alleged that Park had uploaded videos containing false information that defamed their reputations. The plaintiffs also claimed that Park had infringed copyright by unlawfully using content owned by their agency.

YouTuber Sojang is an individual who, since 2021, operated a channel that produced videos centered on malicious rumors involving idols. In addition to BTS, YouTuber Sojang has faced both civil and criminal trials for allegedly spreading false information or defaming other celebrities, including Jang Wonyoung of IVE. The Sojang YouTube channel has since been deleted.