A rental car operator has been convicted on all charges of blackmailing K-pop idols after threatening to release dash cam footage showing private moments between a female idol and a male artist.
The Incheon District Court's Criminal Division 14 handed down a sentence of eight months in prison, suspended for two years, along with 120 hours of community service, on October 18.
The case began in February 2024 when the defendant, identified only by the initial "C," rented a minivan to a member of a popular K-pop girl group. Shortly after the vehicle was returned, C reviewed the dash cam recordings and discovered clips of the idol engaging in intimate physical contact with a male idol in the back seat. Instead of deleting the footage, C saw an opportunity for financial gain.
He initiated contact via the Chinese messaging app WeChat, sending messages such as "What were you doing in the back seat yesterday? Isn't that too much?" and referencing the male idol's group to increase pressure on his victim. He then demanded money equivalent to half the van's purchase price, approximately 23.5 million won($16,400), threatening that the footage could be made public if his demands were not met.
Frightened by the prospect of public exposure, the idol transferred a total of 9,793,000 won ($9,800) to C across three payments. According to court documents, the first two transfers were made in Chinese yuan: 20,000 yuan (about $2,800) and 30,000 yuan (about $4,200), followed by a final installment of 500,000 won ($350) in cash, delivered in Gwanak-gu, Seoul.
Prosecutors charged C with extortion, a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($14,000). In handing down a suspended sentence, Judge Gong Woo-jin noted that the defendant committed the offense while already serving a suspended term for an earlier crime, calling C's actions "highly reprehensible." The court also took into account that most of the extorted funds had been returned and that C admitted guilt and expressed genuine remorse.
Legal experts say this ruling underscores the necessity for stronger privacy safeguards for public figures, particularly in situations where personal data can be recorded without consent. The verdict has become final, and C must complete the community service requirement and remain crime-free for the two-year probation period to avoid serving the prison term.
