“It was just a manner hug.”
Music director A, charged with sexually harassing an actress who is 19 years younger than him, defended himself until the ent. However, the court pointed out that A had left a note before the crime that said, 'check if (victim's name) is tainted', highlighting premeditation, and sentenced him to a fine of 4 million KRW.
A planned meeting, followed by harassment
The incident began on the night of October 4, 2023, at a bar in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. According to the Seoul Western District Court's ruling, prior to the meeting, A wrote on a note on his phone: 'Meet ㅇㅇ(Victim's name), ○△ (Check ifㅇㅇ is tainted.'
That night, during drinks, A made several sexually inappropriate remarks to B (female, 25 years old at the time), such as, "You need to get a little dirty." He then forcibly hugged B three times in front of the bar's restroom and kissed her on the forehead.
The harassment did not stop there. At the photo booth they moved to, A approached B from behind and assaulted her again by brushing her ack and waist. B testified to the investigative authorities that she "leaned against the wall to stop his hand from going down to my butt."
The excuse that "It was a manner hug," and the reason why the court disagreed
In court, A denied the charges, claiming "It was just a manner hug," and that "My lips only brushed her forehead." However, the court dismissed his claims for clear reasons.
Consistent victim testimony
From the beginning of the investigation, B's testimony was specific and consistent, saying, "He hugged me while saying things like, 'Now that I've gotten you to drink, you’re finally opening up to me.’ The court deemed her testimony “natural enough that only someone who experienced it could describe it that way.”
Objective evidence.
Immediately after the incident, B sent KakaoTalk messages to her acquaintances informing them of the assault, saying, "The music director kissed me on the forehead after drinking," and "He put his arm around my waist, and I had to lean on the wall so his hand wouldn’t go lower.”
The defendant’s apology.
It was revealed that A called B directly the day after the incident and apologized, "Did I hug you and kiss your forehead yesterday? I'm sorry."
Taking all evidence into account, the court ruled that A’s behavior “caused sexual humiliation and disgust to a reasonable person and violated sound sexual ethics,” confirming the intent of sexual harassment.
The complaint filed after a year, and the actress' anguish hidden behind it
The fact that B filed the complaint a year after the assault also became an issue. However, the court ruled that this was fully understandable considering the nature of her occupation as an actress. The complaint contained the detail that B hesitated to file the complaint due to concerns about career damage.
The court stated, "It is fully understandable, given her profession as an actress. She hesitated to report the incident out of concern for her acting career if the facts of the assault were to become known in the industry."
The court also stated that A had exploited his position as a music director to harass a victim 19 years younger and continued to make excuses throughout the trial.
However, since the two reached a settlement and the victim no longer sought punishment, and because A had no prior record, the court sentenced him to a fine of 4 million KRW and 40 hours of sexual violence treatment program.
https://lawtalknews.co.kr/article/S6ITYBHJKHSX
-Disgusting.
-Wow, that’s so gross.
-Wow, how can someone even think of something like that?
-Sigh... There is too much trash in the world.
-They should reveal who this is. The industry is small, so he'll just keep working.
-Die. Just die, die painfully.
-A 4 million won fine? Are you kidding me? What kind of punishment is this?
-Don’t let sex offenders roam free, please arrest them.
-Hul, who is it?
