Singer Kim Ho-joong Loses 700 Million Won Defamation Suit Against 180 Anti-Fans

Singer Kim Ho-joong, currently serving a prison sentence for a drunk driving hit-and-run accident, has lost a 700 million won defamation lawsuit against 180 "anti-fans."

According to legal circles on Monday, the 45th Civil Division of Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Kyung-soo) ruled against Kim in his damages suit filed against Kang and 179 others.

In June 2021, Kim filed a 764 million won damages suit against approximately 180 people, including Kang, who had posted negative comments about him online. Kang and the others had raised questions about Kim's military service issues based on media reports.

Kim's legal team argued that even if the defendants' actions were one-time occurrences with low repetitiveness, they still had some negative impact. However, the court rejected this argument.

Kim was sentenced to two years and six months in prison in his appeals trial last April for driving drunk at around 11:44 p.m. on May 9, 2024, crossing the center line on Apgujeong-ro in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, colliding with a taxi traveling in the opposite direction, fleeing the scene, and having his manager Jang turn himself in on Kim's behalf. Kim dropped his appeal to the Supreme Court and is currently serving his sentence.

Kim, who initially denied drunk driving, admitted to the crime ten days after the accident.

Kim was also deemed ineligible during last year's Christmas special pardon parole review. Under criminal law, those sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment can be paroled after serving one-third of their sentence. While Kim met certain conditions including crime motive and offense type to be considered for parole review, he was reportedly deemed ineligible due to the serious nature of his offense.

Kim is scheduled to be released in November.