Tzzuyang to receive W80m in damages from Gujeyeok as appeals court raises award

An appeals court has ordered YouTuber Gujeyeok (real name Lee Jun-hee), who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of extorting tens of millions of won from fellow YouTuber Tzzuyang (real name Park Jeong-won) through blackmail, to pay her 80 million won ($54,000) in damages — up from the 75 million won awarded at trial.

Seoul High Court's Civil Appeals Division 12-3, presided over by Chief Judge Jo Hyu-ok, issued the ruling Tuesday in the second-instance civil suit Tzzuyang filed against Gujeyeok.

Gujeyeok, who operated as a so-called "cyber wrecker" — a content creator who profits from exposing scandals — threatened Tzzuyang around February 2023 to reveal her past involvement in tax evasion and work at a hostess bar unless she paid him. She handed over 55 million won. He then pressured her into filming a mukbang, or eating broadcast, at a restaurant run by one of his acquaintances, and in December of that year she recorded and posted the video at the establishment.

The appeals court explained the higher damages award by noting that "the scope of the claim was partially expanded at this court" and that "the amount recognized rose from 75 million won to 80 million won as additional facts were accepted."

The trial court had reached a similar conclusion. In October last year, it said Gujeyeok "received money while the victim's freedom to make decisions was restricted or obstructed through threats" and that his "awareness of, or vigilance against, the unlawfulness of obtaining economic gain by exploiting someone's private life had become dulled."

Gujeyeok is already imprisoned after a three-year sentence in the related criminal case was finalized. The Supreme Court confirmed the three-year prison term on extortion charges in March, upholding guilty verdicts on most counts that both the trial court and the appeals court had handed down.