Lately, many Kpop idols and Korean actors have become the victims of deepfakes and AI generative content. Many have reported that anonymous people have started using their faces, morphed onto others, to promote goods and services. These techs have also been used actively by many people for malicious content. One such instance involves Aespa’s Karina and Winter. The two filed a case against an individual who circulated deepfake videos using their faces.According to the latest reports, the duo has officially won the case against said person, and they have also been served with a jail time. Here is what we know about the case.
Aespa Karina and Winter win case against person who used their faces for deepfake video
On June 18, the idols’ management agency issued a public notice on all of their social media platforms regarding the matter. They announced that the person, named as Mr A in various documents, has been sentenced to jail time. He was sentenced to spend 2 years and 6 months in jail.It was also reported that the First Criminal Division of the Daegu High Court ruled against the man and ordered him to complete around 80 hours of a sexual violence treatment program. Additionally, a seven-year employment restriction ban has also been imposed on him. This will prevent him from getting employment in any place related to children and adolescents.The company further stated in their official notice that they will take strict legal action against all people who are posting malicious content against their artists and targeting them online. These activities are specifically tracking these activities, both domestically and internationally, to ensure their artists’ safety.A statement from the notice also read, “Through fan reports and our own monitoring, we collected thousands of pieces of evidence, including malicious posts and comments across various online communities and Social Network Service (SNS) platforms.” Mr A was charged by the court for making deepfake images and videos of Aespa members Karina and Winter to other people for profit.
Aespa not the only one targeted
This is not the only time a management agency has had to take strict legal action against deepfake and AI tech users to protect their artists’ safety. A while back, BLACKPINK was also targeted with similar content, and their management agency had to file legal complaints against the anonymous users who used deepfake tech to create malicious videos about the girls.A few days ago, former Sharp member and broadcaster Lee Ji Hye also posted about people using deepfakes to use her face to scam people. She posted screenshots of random ads plastered with her face online and urged fans and netizens to be careful, as they had never filmed or worked for such products and commercials. She also commented that scammers were using her face via deepfake without her permission for such activities, and condemned those who participate in such work.
On the work front with Aespa
aespa have been actively promoting the release of their second full-length album titled ‘LEMONADE’. (Credit: Instagram)
Meanwhile, Aespa recently made a comeback on May 29, releasing their second full-length album titled ‘MY WORLD.’ The album has been topping charts and even ranked at number 9 on the Billboard top 200 music charts.Disclaimer: This report is a journalistic account of a recent court development. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy based on available information, this is not a substitute for the official court order or legal advice. The final ruling, which will be published by the court, is the definitive source of information. This article serves as a report on the current status of the case and should not be considered legal guidance.
