Request comes after channel operator Kim Se-ui was indicted on charges of defaming Kim Soo-hyun
Actor Kim Soo-hyun has asked YouTube to shut down HoverLab, a right-wing channel that has spread allegations about his relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron.
The 38-year-old actor’s representatives reportedly called on YouTube to shut down the channel, citing violations of the platform’s policies on harassment and cyberbullying and warning that the continued spread of false information could cause further harm.
In addition to seeking the channel’s termination, Kim’s legal team has requested the removal of 30 videos related to Kim Soo-hyun.
Kim’s representatives have also sought a court order requiring HoverLab to remove the videos and barring the channel from uploading similar content in the future. The petition was reportedly filed on Sept. 22, with a hearing scheduled for Nov. 4.
The move comes after HoverLab operator Kim Se-ui was indicted in June on charges including defaming Kim Soo-hyun by spreading false information about the actor.
Prosecutors allege that Kim Se-ui made false claims about the actor on 25 occasions between March and December last year. These included allegations that Kim Soo-hyun had been in a relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and that threats from his side contributed to her death. Prosecutors have since deemed the claims false and intended to damage the actor’s reputation.
HoverLab has approximately 976,000 subscribers as of Tuesday. Founded in 2018 by former MBC journalist Kim Se-ui and lawyer Kang Yong-seok, the channel covers politics and current affairs while also featuring unverified allegations, rumors and conspiracy theories involving celebrities and other public figures.
yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com