aespa Deepfake Creator Sentenced to 2 Years and 6 Months in Prison...SM Vows Strong Response - 아시아경제

On June 18, 2024, SM Entertainment announced that an individual identified as A was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for creating and selling deepfake videos featuring Karina and Winter of the K-pop group aespa. In addition to the prison term, the Daegu High Court’s 1st Criminal Division mandated that the individual complete 80 hours of a sexual violence treatment program and imposed a seven-year employment restriction at institutions serving children and adolescents.

What happened

The perpetrator produced deepfake content by digitally combining the faces of the two artists. SM Entertainment identified the illicit activity through a combination of fan reports and internal monitoring efforts. The company collected thousands of pieces of evidence from online communities and social media platforms, which were subsequently submitted as part of a formal complaint. SM Entertainment maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding the infringement of its artists' rights and has confirmed that investigations into other accused individuals are currently ongoing. The agency reiterated that it will continue to pursue strong legal action against the creation of malicious rumors, the spread of false information, and the distribution of sexually harassing content without the possibility of leniency or settlement.