The classmate who accused K-drama star Nam Joo Hyuk of school violence has appealed the summary order against them and requested a formal trial. This comes after the classmate, referred to as A, was fined for defamation in a summary order.

A, who claimed to be a victim of school violence by Nam Joo Hyuk’s group, not Joo Hyuk himself, has been fined for defamation but has filed for a formal trial. The accusations, which were found to be false, resulted in defamation charges against two individuals involved in making claims against Joo Hyuk.

Nam Joo Hyuk’s school violence accuser’s classmate seeks review of summary order, asks for formal trial

On April 8th, attorney No Jong Eon, representing Law Firm Existence, confirmed that A had requested a formal trial at the Uijeongbu District Court’s Goyang branch. A had informed B, who works at an internet media outlet, about being a victim of school violence from Joo Hyuk’s group, which led to the publication of articles.

In response, Joo Hyuk’s agency, Management SOOP, filed a criminal complaint for defamation against B for writing the false article, the CEO, and A for making the false allegation. When the allegations were first made, A clarified that they had informed B about being victimized by Joo Hyuk’s group, not directly by Joo Hyuk himself. A also stated that the article was not published as described, leading to a request for correction.

In response, Management SOOP initiated a lawsuit against A and B, appointing the law firm Sejong as their legal representative. On March 28th, the Goyang Court fined both A and B 7 million KRW each, ruling that A had made a false report with the intention of slandering Joo Hyuk to B, and B had subsequently posted the article about Joo Hyuk.

The court added that there was no evidence to support the allegations that Joo Hyuk had engaged in school violence, such as cutting in line or being a bread shuttle against A during his school years, nor had he bullied other friends by associating with so-called bullies. As a result, the court concluded that A and B conspired to publicly disclose false facts, defaming Joo Hyuk.

Attorney No Jong Eon stated that there are facts indicating that A was initially victimized by Joo Hyuk’s friends, not Joo Hyuk himself, and these facts are supported by various pieces of evidence. He emphasized that these details will be clarified during the trial.

Furthermore, he expressed confusion over the indictment’s claim that Joo Hyuk had not bullied other friends, indicating that this aspect will also be addressed through witness testimonies during the trial. Hence, A, who claimed to be a victim of school violence by Joo Hyuk, has been fined in a summary order for defamation but has filed for a formal trial.

More about Nam Joo Hyuk’s case

For those unfamiliar with the situation, in June 2022, a former classmate of Joo Hyuk made allegations that the actor had bullied him for a period spanning over six years, from middle school to high school. Subsequently, two more students came forward to accuse the Twenty Five Twenty One actor of bullying.

However, many students and teachers stepped forward to support Joo Hyuk. Additionally, the credibility of the initial accuser was questioned when they altered their claims after threats of legal action from Joo Hyuk’s label against the informant, reporter, and media outlet responsible for the original allegations.

If you know someone who is suffering from bullying, abuse, or violence, reach out to a nearby doctor, expert, or NGO for immediate help. There are several helplines available for the same.