Actor Choi Jung Won (44), formerly of the group UN, has cleared his name of alleged infidelity. Choi took to social media on Wednesday to share a court ruling that exonerated him of charges related to violations of information and communications network laws, intimidation, and defamation.
Choi Jung Won stated that the appellate court’s decision has definitively addressed the various claims circulating online. Mr. A’s false allegations, including labeling him as an affair partner, have been proven untrue. The court also dismissed claims that he demanded money or meetings. The ruling found Mr. A guilty of instructing others to spread this misinformation, constituting defamation.
The court fined Mr. A 3 million KRW (approximately 2,050 USD) for defamation, solicitation of defamation, and intimidation.
Choi Jung Won released audio recordings that captured Mr. A coaching his wife to defame the actor. In one clip, Mr. A is heard saying, Suing Choi Jung Won typically costs 30 to 40 million KRW (about 20,500 to 34,200 USD), but since he’s a has-been celebrity, the lawyer says it could potentially squeeze out up to 100 million KRW (about 68,400 USD).
In a subsequent post, Choi Jung Won shared the Seoul Family Court’s ruling, which further vindicated him. The court dismissed Mr. A’s 100 million KRW (about 68,400 USD) lawsuit against Choi Jung Won, filed in 2023, which had alleged an affair between Choi Jung Won and Mr. A’s wife.
Choi Jung Won added that he’s pursuing additional legal action against other defamatory and unlawful acts,. The dinner in question was simply a casual meeting among acquaintances, with no impropriety involved. He hope this puts an end to the misunderstandings and harm caused by these false allegations.
This ruling follows a September decision by the Seoul High Court that also rejected claims of Choi Jung Won’s involvement in an affair. In the divorce proceedings between Mr. A and his wife, Ms. B, the court stated that the relationship between Choi Jung Won and Ms. B does not constitute infidelity and attributed the marital breakdown to the husband’s coercive behavior, overturning the initial verdict.
