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| Plave: Can you be sued for defaming virtual K-pop stars? South Korea court says yes | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Plave's agency filed a civil suit against against a social media user for criticising the group online | Plave's agency filed a civil suit against against a social media user for criticising the group online |
| A court in South Korea has ordered a social media user to pay 500,000 won ($360; £265) for defaming a K-pop boyband - whose members are virtual characters. | A court in South Korea has ordered a social media user to pay 500,000 won ($360; £265) for defaming a K-pop boyband - whose members are virtual characters. |
| The five members of K-pop group Plave are voiced and animated through motion-capture technology by real, anonymous performers. | The five members of K-pop group Plave are voiced and animated through motion-capture technology by real, anonymous performers. |
| Last year, Plave's agency filed a civil suit against against a social media user for making derogatory remarks about the group online. | Last year, Plave's agency filed a civil suit against against a social media user for making derogatory remarks about the group online. |
| The ruling by the court, handed down in May and made public on the court's website this month, is among the first to deal with virtual K-pop idols - an increasingly popular breed in South Korea's entertainment industry. | The ruling by the court, handed down in May and made public on the court's website this month, is among the first to deal with virtual K-pop idols - an increasingly popular breed in South Korea's entertainment industry. |
| Plave, which debuted in 2023, is one of K-pop's most successful virtual stars, with more than one million followers on its YouTube channel where they regularly post music videos and vlogs. | Plave, which debuted in 2023, is one of K-pop's most successful virtual stars, with more than one million followers on its YouTube channel where they regularly post music videos and vlogs. |
| They are also a regular at the country's biggest music awards. Their song Way 4 Luv was nominated for best vocal performance and song of the year at the 2024 MAMA Awards. This year, they won a major prize at the Seoul Music Awards. | They are also a regular at the country's biggest music awards. Their song Way 4 Luv was nominated for best vocal performance and song of the year at the 2024 MAMA Awards. This year, they won a major prize at the Seoul Music Awards. |
| In July 2024, the defendant targeted Plave in a series of posts - some containing profanity. Among them were comments that the people behind the avatars "could be ugly in real life" and gave off a "typical Korean man vibe", Korea Times reported. | In July 2024, the defendant targeted Plave in a series of posts - some containing profanity. Among them were comments that the people behind the avatars "could be ugly in real life" and gave off a "typical Korean man vibe", Korea Times reported. |
| The defendant claimed that the comments were aimed at the fictional characters and not the real people behind them. | The defendant claimed that the comments were aimed at the fictional characters and not the real people behind them. |
| But the court rejected the argument, saying that if an avatar was widely recognised to represent someone real, then attacks on the avatar also extended to the real person. | But the court rejected the argument, saying that if an avatar was widely recognised to represent someone real, then attacks on the avatar also extended to the real person. |
| Plave's agency, Vlast, had asked for 6.5 million won for each of the five performers behind the group, saying that the comments had caused them emotional distress. | Plave's agency, Vlast, had asked for 6.5 million won for each of the five performers behind the group, saying that the comments had caused them emotional distress. |
| What the court granted them instead was a fraction of that: 100,000 won per person. The court said it had decided on the amount after considering the severity of the offending comments and the circumstances surrounding the incident, local media reported. | What the court granted them instead was a fraction of that: 100,000 won per person. The court said it had decided on the amount after considering the severity of the offending comments and the circumstances surrounding the incident, local media reported. |
| Vlast has appealed the damages stated by the court, arguing that the case set an important precedent for defamation of virtual avatars. | Vlast has appealed the damages stated by the court, arguing that the case set an important precedent for defamation of virtual avatars. |
| Advocates of virtual K-pop idols say the avatars can alleviate pressure from human idols, who face intense scrutiny over their personal lives. | Advocates of virtual K-pop idols say the avatars can alleviate pressure from human idols, who face intense scrutiny over their personal lives. |
| Hosu Lee contributed reporting. | Hosu Lee contributed reporting. |