0:02 Be careful what you post online because
0:04 this time it didn't just stay online.
0:06 Things have officially crossed into real
0:09 consequences and New Jeans is right at
0:11 the center of it. For the first time,
0:13 people who repeatedly targeted New Jeans
0:15 with malicious posts are now facing
0:18 actual fines following legal action that
0:20 didn't even come from the company, but
0:23 from fans. And yes, this is becoming a
0:25 trend. According to legal sources, on
0:28 January 6th, prosecutors in Busousan
0:30 have already moved forward with charges
0:33 against one individual identified as a
0:35 she was summarily indicted last October
0:38 on insult charges with prosecutors
0:41 requesting a fine of 700,0001. The final
0:43 court decision hasn't been confirmed
0:45 yet, but the case is already sending
0:48 shock waves online. What did she do?
0:50 Authorities say she edited photos of New
0:52 Jeans members in a malicious way and
0:55 spread false claims about them on X. And
0:57 this wasn't an isolated incident. In
1:00 another case, a man known as B was fined
1:03 200,0001 by the Teu District Court after
1:04 repeatedly leaving hateful comments
1:07 about new jeans on the online forum FM
1:09 Korea. What makes the situation
1:11 different is who pushed these cases
1:14 forward. Back in 2024, a fan group known
1:16 as Team Bunnies publicly announced they
1:18 would begin filing criminal complaints
1:20 against people spreading false
1:22 information, defamatory posts, and
1:25 malicious comments targeting New Jeans.
1:28 Between September and December alone, 44
1:30 individuals were referred to prosecutors
1:32 without detention, all due to reports
1:35 filed by fans. This marks a clear shift
1:38 in how online harassment cases are being
1:40 handled in the K-pop world. Legal
1:43 experts say this kind of fan-led action
1:45 is becoming more common. Attorney Kim
1:47 Tayan explained that while artist
1:49 protection used to be handled almost
1:52 entirely by agencies, fandoms are now
1:54 stepping in directly. She also clarified
1:56 that even when complaints are submitted
1:59 by third parties, the legal process and
2:02 potential punishment remains the same as
2:04 long as the victim consents. In other
2:06 words, whether it's the artist, the
2:09 company, or the fans, the law treats it
2:11 seriously. This all comes at a
2:13 complicated time for New Jeans. The
2:15 group recently wrapped up a legal
2:17 dispute with Adore over their exclusive
2:20 contracts. Following the court's
2:23 decision, Haron, Hyen, and Hy are
2:25 confirmed to return to activities.
2:27 However, discussions around Mi's return
2:30 are reportedly still ongoing. Meanwhile,
2:32 Adore has officially notified Danielle
2:34 that her exclusive contract has been
2:36 terminated, stating that continuing to
2:38 work together would no longer be
2:40 possible. These fines may not seem huge
2:43 on paper, but the message is loud.
2:45 Online harassment is no longer being
2:47 brushed off as just comments, and
2:50 fandoms are no longer staying silent.
2:52 Whether you see this as accountability
2:55 or a warning sign, one thing is clear.
2:57 The line between posting online and
2:59 facing real consequences is getting
3:02 thinner every day. What do you think
3:03 about fans taking legal action like
3:06 this? Let me know in the comments. And
