Deepfake porn scandal: 'Squid Game's Park Gyu-young is latest victim
What's the story
The deepfake pornography scandal in South Korea has claimed another victim, this time ensnaring K-drama actor Park Gyu-young.
Known for her roles in shows like Celebrity, A Good Day to Be a Dog, Sweet Home, and the upcoming Squid Game 2, Park's likeness has been used without consent in synthetic video content.
Her agency, Saram Entertainment, issued an official statement on Tuesday pledging to "respond to this matter with utmost seriousness."
Agency's response
Saram Entertainment vows to take action
Saram Entertainment, which also represents other notable artists such as Girls's Generation's Choi Soo-young and Squid Game 1's Jung Ho-yeon, has vowed to take strict action against any illegal activities involving their actors.
The agency expressed gratitude for the reports and concerns from fans in its official statement.
This incident is part of a disturbing trend that has seen numerous K-stars featured in explicit deepfake videos over the past two months.
Industry impact
K-pop industry also targeted in Deepfake scandal
The deepfake scandal has not only impacted actors but also extended to the K-pop industry, with numerous female celebrities and idols being targeted.
AI technology is being misused to superimpose these idols' faces onto explicit content.
This unwelcome invasion of privacy has led netizens to label this development as "The New Nth Room."
Fans have been actively calling for stringent action against this unsettling trend, which disturbingly includes underaged female idols in search results.
Legal action
Entertainment agencies announce legal action against Deepfake videos
In response to the deepfake scandal, several entertainment agencies have announced plans to take legal action.
JYP Entertainment recently expressed grave concern about the spread of AI-generated videos involving their artists and is collecting evidence for a potential lawsuit.
CUBE Entertainment—representing girl group (G)I-DLE—issued a similar warning against those who create and distribute such content.
YG Entertainment also voiced serious concerns about this trend and is actively working to remove and block such content.
Victim count
Over 200 female K-pop stars victimized in the scandal
The deepfake scandal has reportedly victimized more than 200 female K-pop stars.
Numerous Telegram chatrooms have been discovered where such objectionable content is being distributed, damaging the artists' reputations.
One specific group reportedly has over 2,161 men involved in producing and spreading deepfakes of IVE members.
This situation echoes the infamous Nth Room case involving sexual exploitation and illegal activities based on Telegram Chatrooms, prompting fans to urge law enforcement to take stern actions.