South Korean Celebrities Battle False Divorce Rumors Amid Growing Fake News Concerns
South Korean celebrities, including actors Nam Bo-ra and Son Dam-bi, are currently facing challenges due to unfounded divorce rumors. These fake news stories are not only affecting their personal lives but also impacting their public images, raising concerns about the broader societal implications.
On October 4, Nam Bo-ra addressed the rumors on her social media, stating, "There are divorce rumors, but they are just rumors." She shared a photo with a link to a video showing her enjoying everyday life with her husband. Nam Bo-ra married her businessman husband in May, and in October last year, she announced on her YouTube channel that she had found a lifelong partner.
South Korean Celebrities Battle False Divorce Rumors Amid Growing Fake News Concerns
Last month, on the 18th, Son Dam-bi also expressed her frustration over similar rumors. Through her YouTube channel, she stated, "There is too much fake news these days. I mentioned on YouTube that 'my husband hasn't been paying much attention to our child lately,' and it turned into fake news claiming 'Son Dam-bi and Lee Kyu-hyuk divorce, single parenting,' which even prompted a call from my mother."
Son Dam-bi further vented her frustrations on social media, sharing a screenshot of an article and commenting, "Wow, fake news is incredible. Do people really have nothing better to do?" The article falsely claimed that she was being gaslighted by her husband, Lee Kyu-hyuk, and was pregnant.
South Korean Celebrities Battle False Divorce Rumors Amid Growing Fake News Concerns
Comedian Hong Hyun-hee is another victim of fake divorce rumors. In June, she revealed on her YouTube channel, "The acne on my face is all due to stress from fake news. I'm considering posting a 10-minute kissing video to quash the divorce rumors." In July, she sighed in another video, "I'm grateful to be married, so how could I talk about divorce? I've never even uttered the word 'divorce,' so why would I be afraid to speak?"
South Korean Celebrities Battle False Divorce Rumors Amid Growing Fake News Concerns
Baseless fake news is causing mental and social harm to celebrities. However, fundamental solutions to combat fake news remain lacking, and legal action is challenging. No Jong-eon, a representative lawyer at Law Firm Jonjae, told TenAsia, "While it's possible to sue fake news creators for defamation, it can take up to 2-3 years for a final court ruling."
He further noted, "There's a saying, 'Where there's profit, there's crime.' Fake news proliferates because it generates revenue through views. It's necessary to confiscate profits made from fake news or impose sanctions on platforms where fake news is rampant."
The escalating issue of fake news is having a detrimental impact beyond individuals, affecting society as a whole. It's time for effective legal and institutional measures, as well as societal attention and efforts to mitigate the damage.
