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Why a Woman Was Fined 6 Million Won for Threatening Han Ji-min
People are familiar with the idea that “malicious comments can be punished.” But not every critical comment immediately amounts to criminal intimidation. Behind the Seoul Central District Court’s October 16, 2026, decision to fine a woman in her 30s 6 million won for threatening and insulting Han Ji-min was a pattern of repetition, specificity, and menace that went beyond a simple expression of anger.
The defendant was accused of posting 19 threatening and insulting messages on her social media between September and October 2024, tagging Han Ji-min and people around her. The posts reportedly included statements suggesting she would harm a film starring Han, along with direct insults.
The court focused on more than just the severity of the posts. It found that repeatedly targeting a specific person, tagging not only the person herself but also those around her, and expressing an intent to harm her work could cause the victim genuine fear.
In determining whether a statement constitutes criminal intimidation, what matters is not how harsh the language was, but whether it conveyed a “threat of harm” that the other person could reasonably perceive as real.
That is different from criticism or a decision to boycott, such as “I don’t like her,” “I’m disappointed,” or “I won’t watch her work.” Criticism may fall within the realm of opinion, but repeated messages aimed at pressuring a specific actor or harming a production she is involved in can threaten her safety and career.
The Han Ji-min case shows that freedom of expression has clear limits, even online. Even when posts come from anonymous accounts or social media, their timing, tagged recipients, frequency, and specificity are all recorded. Ultimately, words posted online are not merely a passing emotional outburst; in some cases, they can become evidence leading to criminal liability.
The Han Ji-min Case: Why 19 Posts Were Deemed Threats
Unlike one or two emotionally charged comments, the posts made between September and October 2024 showed a pattern of repetition and targeting. The defendant was accused of publishing 19 posts on social media that tagged not only Han Ji-min but also people around her.
The issue was not just the severity of the language. The posts reportedly included statements suggesting that the defendant would harm a film starring Han Ji-min, along with direct insults. This went beyond simply criticizing a work or an actor: the messages could reasonably be understood as causing the person targeted real anxiety and fear.
The court focused on what is known as “communicating a threat of harm.” If someone conveys an intent to harm another person in a way that causes fear, even an online post can qualify as a threat. In particular, the court may consider the following factors together:
- Whether posts were repeated several times over a short period
- Whether the victim and people close to them were directly tagged
- Whether the posts specifically suggested that the victim’s work or career would be harmed
- Whether the insulting language formed part of an ongoing attack rather than a one-off incident
The Seoul Central District Court ruled that the posts went beyond mere malicious comments and amounted to threats capable of causing Han Ji-min fear. The case ultimately shows that online speech, too, can cross the line from “expressing an opinion” into criminal liability when it involves repetition, a clearly identified target, and a specific threat.
The Han Ji-min Case Shows How Online Harassment Spreads Through a Person’s “Network”
The case has sparked even greater concern because the defendant was confirmed to be the same person who had previously stalked Choi Jung-hoon, vocalist of Jannabi. In other words, a one-sided obsession with one person eventually extended to Han Ji-min, who was reported to be his partner.
According to reports, the defendant repeatedly posted threatening and abusive messages tagging Han Ji-min and people around her. This went beyond simply expressing feelings about a particular celebrity: the attacks expanded through romantic relationships and social connections.
This behavior is dangerous because harassment does not necessarily stop with one person. Online obsession can spread in several ways:
- Excessively tracking someone’s relationships and private life
- Redirecting attacks toward a partner, family member, or acquaintance—a form of secondary victimization
- Applying psychological pressure through repeated tags and posts on social media
- Threatening to harm someone’s work or activities
Anyone can express interest or criticism. But the moment someone tries to control another person’s relationships or pressures them by targeting those close to them, that behavior crosses the line between fandom or expressing an opinion and harassment.
The Han Ji-min case shows how online harassment can go beyond malicious comments aimed at an individual and escalate into digital stalking that shakes their entire network of relationships. What ultimately needs protection is not a celebrity’s image, but the safety and everyday life that everyone should be entitled to.
The Line Between Hate Comments and Digital Stalking: The Han Ji-min Case
Criticism of someone’s work and repeated insults or threats are both forms of speech online. But they differ clearly in their intent, methods, and impact on the victim. The recent case involving Han Ji-min shows where that line can cross into legal territory.
Criticism targets the work; harassment targets the person
Evaluating a film or drama, an actor’s performance, or an interpretation of a character is a natural part of engaging with popular culture. But when expression shifts toward repeatedly attacking someone’s character or making them afraid, it can no longer be seen as mere opinion.
Hate comments are more likely to be treated as digital stalking or threats when several of the following elements are present:
- Repeated insulting posts targeting the same person
- Directly tagging the victim’s account and people close to them
- Specific threats to damage their projects or career
- Indirect pressure through a romantic partner, family, or friends
- Persistently approaching them from different accounts after being blocked
What matters is not how harsh the criticism is, but whether the fixation continues in a way that causes the other person fear and anxiety.
“It was just online speech” is no automatic defense
Online, anonymity and impulsiveness can make harsh language easy to use. But the situation changes when posts are repeated, the target and substance of the threats are specific, and there is evidence of an intent to control the victim’s daily life or activities.
In the case involving Han Ji-min, the court found that the repeated posts amounted to threats of harm capable of causing the victim to feel afraid. This means that threatening language cannot be justified simply by claiming, “I was only expressing my personal opinion.”
Interest may be freely expressed—but the moment it violates another person’s safety and privacy, it is no longer a right. It is harm.
Attacks on people close to the victim widen the harm
One danger of digital stalking is that it rarely stops with a single person. When a romantic partner, family member, colleague, or agency representative also becomes a target, the victim can feel anxious not only online but in their real-life relationships as well.
As in the cases involving Han Ji-min and Choi Jung-hoon, one-sided feelings toward a particular person can sometimes escalate into attempts to control or attack their romantic relationship. People may express their approval or disapproval of a public relationship, but demanding that it end or threatening to disrupt someone’s career goes beyond healthy fandom or criticism.
Ultimately, the line between hate comments and digital stalking is drawn not by the intensity of a single word, but by repetition, specificity, persistence, and the fear and pressure inflicted on the victim. We should not forget that words posted online can also threaten someone’s safety in the real world.
The Warning Left by the Han Ji-min Case: Fandom Must Never Violate Someone’s Safety
The central message of this ruling is clear: the moment interest in a celebrity infringes on another person’s privacy and safety, it can no longer be protected as “fandom” or freedom of expression.
The repeated insults and threatening posts targeting Han Ji-min went beyond ordinary online abuse. Tagging a specific person, threatening to damage their work, and extending attacks to people around them can cause real fear and distress. That is why the court found the conduct to be threatening.
Agencies Must Document and Respond More Quickly
An agency’s role does not end with issuing an apology or warning. It must systematically preserve evidence, including when abusive posts were written, how often they were repeated, account information, and who was tagged—and, when necessary, promptly pursue legal action.
For actors with a high public profile, like Han Ji-min, a system that reduces the risk of repeat incidents matters more than responding only after harm has occurred. Simply making clear the agency’s principles for legal action can serve as a warning to potential offenders.
Platforms Must Be Responsible Beyond “Taking It Down”
Removing problematic posts is only the first step. Posts that could lead to threats or stalking must be easy to report and block quickly, and procedures must be in place to preserve relevant records for use in investigations.
Anonymity online does not give anyone the right to threaten others. Platforms, too, have a responsibility to more actively detect and respond to repeat-offender accounts, targeted tagging, and threatening language.
There Must Be Clear Limits on Users’ Interest, Too
People are free to express their views on an actor’s work and performance. But trying to control an actor’s romantic life, family, or relationships—or repeatedly insulting them—is not criticism. No one has the right to demand that someone end a relationship simply because they disapprove of it, or to threaten to harm their career or work.
The Han Ji-min case once again raises the question of where the boundaries of consuming popular culture should lie. Interest should stop at support and criticism. The moment it makes someone feel unsafe and threatens their everyday life, it is no longer fandom but an infringement—and may carry legal consequences.
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