NCT's Mark forgives teenager who posted malicious comments on internet

SM Entertainment broke its zero-tolerance policy on hateful comments for a teenager caught posting malicious comments toward member Mark of boy band NCT. The artist asked the agency not to file any charges, according to SM Entertainment.

Mark from boy band NCT [YONHAP]

SM Entertainment broke its zero-tolerance policy on hateful comments for a teenager caught posting malicious comments toward member Mark of boy band NCT.

The artist asked the agency not to file any charges, according to SM Entertainment.

The teenager admitted to writing posts that used degrading terms to make fun of Mark's physical appearance.

The agency has been taking a zero-tolerance policy on malicious acts and spreading false information against its artists.

"The police identified the user who has been posting malicious posts against NCT's Mark after the agency reported [the posts] for defamation," SM Entertainment said in a statement Monday.

"While the agency intended to respond with a zero-tolerance policy [on malicious comments] to protect its artists, the agency agreed to not seek for a criminal punishment on the online user as per Mark's intentions … who wished for a pardon as the online user is a teenager and that they deeply regret their actions and asked for forgiveness," it said, adding that the user promised to not repeat such actions and have an official letter of apology posted online.

"I wanted to seek an apology in person [to Mark]," read the apology letter written by the commenter. The letter was uploaded alongside the agency's statement on Kwangya119, SM Entertainment's website dedicated to reporting malicious and harmful content against its artist.

"NCT's Mark contacted to forgive my case, after considering the fact that I have been reflecting on it thoroughly and that I intend to truthfully apologize to him," they wrote.

SM Entertainment added that the agency has been collecting evidence of malicious comments posted online and that investigations on other cases are ongoing.

SM Entertainment reported an online user to the police for threatening to kill girl group aespa's member Winter at Incheon International Airport earlier this month.

To find more about SM Entertainment, visit Celeb Confirmed

BY CHO YONG-JUN [cho.yongjun1@joongang.co.kr]