Byeon Woo Seok's agency to take legal action against malicious commenters
Note: The following text makes mentions of self-harm. Read at your own discretion.
The sudden passing of actor Song Jae Rim shocked the public. He was found dead at his home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on November 12. Reports from local media tell that a two-page suicide note was found at the scene.
He was discovered by a friend with whom he had a lunch appointment that day. Following the friend's report, the police arrived at the scene and are currently investigating the circumstances of his death. As of now, there is no suspicion of homicide.
In particular, a controversy is spreading that he had faced continuous threats and had his personal information leaked by a Japanese stalker referred to as "A" while he was alive.
It is reported that, since April this year and up until recently, the late Song Jae Rim had been receiving malicious comments and threatening messages from this stalker on his X (former Twitter) account.
"A" mocked gifts received by Song Jae Rim from his fans, and repeatedly posted slanderous comments, such as, "You cannot hide your vulgar nature with your acting." This fan even went so far as to share photos of his acquaintance without permission, violating his privacy.
The actions of "A" have fueled the anger of Song Jae Rim's fans even after his passing. Fans flocked to the stalker's account, protesting strongly, after which "A" closed the account.
Although a direct connection between Song Jae Rim's death and the stalker's harassment is yet to be confirmed, both fans and the public are calling for moral accountability.
Song Jae Rim's passing has highlighted the issue of the "sasaeng" fan (obsessive fan)/stalker culture in the entertainment industry and the violation of an individual's right to privacy.
In other news, the late Song Jae Rim's posthumous work, Death Business, will be released next January.
On November 13, production company Muam announced, "The movie Death Business is scheduled for release in mid-January of next year."
Death Business tells the story of young people who abuse bonus points intended for youth, women, and disabled individuals to fraudulently receive startup support funds, only to go through intentional bankruptcies and closure of businesses. The characters eventually make an irreversible decision after accidentally receiving Series A investment through a cryptocurrency service.
The K-movie is inspired by the 2022 Luna Coin Crash incident. Song Jae Rim played the main character, Yang Do Hyun, a man who repeatedly receives startup support funds through fake startups, only to close them down repeatedly.
