Korean streamers AI media incident — Sep 2026

Korean streamers have become the targets of AI-generated deepfakes as part of a broader conflict involving the Vietnamese PUBG esports community. The situation has escalated beyond online discourse, leading to coordinated harassment campaigns against streamers, including Soopi, who has faced unsubstantiated accusations of cheating.

What happened

Following disputes within the PUBG esports scene, some individuals from the Vietnamese community began utilizing AI technology to create deepfakes of Korean streamers. These synthetic media assets are being used as a tool for cyberbullying and to cause reputational harm to streamers who are not involved in the underlying competitive disputes.

In response to the harassment, Soopi’s management company and KRAFTON have initiated communication with local Vietnamese entities to pursue legal action against those responsible for the excessive cyberbullying. The conflict appears rooted in a cycle of retaliatory behavior between segments of the Korean and Vietnamese gaming communities, exacerbated by language barriers and unverified claims of misconduct. While some community members have called for an end to the engagement, the use of deepfakes remains a significant point of contention, with affected parties seeking legal recourse to address the damages caused by these synthetic attacks.