Gwak Jinyoung "They approached as fans, obsessed, even pretended to be a woman... attempted extreme measures"

"Sending Threatening Messages by Depositing 1 Won into Bank Accounts"
Arrested and Indicted on Charges Including Violation of the Information and Communications Network Act on the 30th of Last Month

Actor Kwak Jin-young, who appeared on SBS's current affairs and educational program "Unanswered Questions," revealed that she had been a victim of stalking for several years. Photo by SBS

[Asia Economy Online Issue Team] Actress Kwak Jin-young recently opened up about her experience of being a stalking victim over the past several years.

On the SBS current affairs program "Unanswered Questions" aired on the 1st, Kwak Jin-young revealed that she had been tormented by a stalking criminal recently. She said about the stalker who harassed her, "At first, he approached me as a fan, and we were like older brother and younger sister," adding, "Then it turned into obsession. He talked as if I were his girlfriend and called me frequently. Even though I said I didn’t want it, he kept going. Eventually, I changed my phone number for the first time in 29 years."

It was reported that the perpetrator also sent defamatory messages through bank transfers. Kwak Jin-young lamented, "When I didn’t answer calls from unknown numbers, dozens of text messages came," and "(The perpetrator) kept depositing 1 won repeatedly into my bank account to threaten me. Once, after blocking his calls and not answering, he rang the doorbell at 10 p.m. in front of my house."

Due to the relentless harassment, Kwak Jin-young reportedly even attempted an extreme choice. She is currently receiving psychiatric treatment for severe depression.

Kwak Jin-young expressed her anxious feelings, saying, "The suspect is currently detained, but I am still afraid of retaliation. He keeps sending letters even from the detention center," and "I’m scared thinking about how he might be planning to ruin me or harm me while he’s inside."

According to reports from multiple media outlets, on the 30th of last month, the prosecution indicted a man in his 50s, Mr. A, who stalked Kwak Jin-young, on charges including violation of the Information and Communications Network Act, defamation, and trespassing.

Mr. A is accused of sending a total of 1,419 messages to Kwak Jin-young from May 2019 to April last year, including 270 texts that caused fear, 1,140 bank transfer messages, and 9 KakaoTalk messages.

Additionally, in August 2020, he broke into Kwak Jin-young’s home and caused a disturbance, and in October of the same year, he posted false comments seriously damaging Kwak Jin-young’s reputation on an online website bulletin board.

Meanwhile, Kwak Jin-young debuted as an MBC public recruitment 20th generation talent in 1991. Since then, she has appeared in dramas such as "Son and Daughter," "Love in Your Arms," and "Sky Gazer," gaining public recognition.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.