Court fines man 500,000 won for calling Bae Suzy 'national hotel girl'

A man who posted libelous comments about singer and actor Bae Suzy was fined 500,000 won ($393) in court after a legal battle that lasted eight years. The third division of the Korean Supreme Court upheld its original ruling on Thursday...

Actor Bae Suzy [YONHAP]

A man who posted libelous comments about singer and actor Bae Suzy was fined 500,000 won ($393) in court after a legal battle that lasted eight years.

The third division of the Korean Supreme Court upheld its original ruling on Thursday and handed a fine of 500,000 won to the man surnamed Lee.

From October to December 2015, Lee wrote in the comment section of articles regarding Bae that she was a "national hotel girl" and other defamatory statements and was subsequently sued by Bae.

He was initially ordered to pay a fine in a summary judgment, but he pleaded not guilty and requested a formal trial.

The first trial ruled Lee guilty of defamation and sentenced him to a fine of 1 million won. A higher court overturned the ruling, citing Lee's comments were not worthy of punishment according to social norms.

The prosecution objected to the ruling and took the case to the Supreme Court, which saw Lee's comments fall within the realm of freedom of expression, but that the phrase "national hotel girl" was degrading Bae as a sexual object and "can be seen as a contemptuous expression that can injure [Bae's] reputation as a celebrity."

Lee appealed the decision again, but the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal Thursday and reaffirmed its decision.

To find out more about Bae Suzy, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]