A man in his thirties was fined 500,000 KRW (approximately 355 USD) for making a disrespectful comment about former K-pop trainee Han Seo Hee. The man, known as Mr. A, insisted that his comment was meant as satire rather than an insult, but the court rejected his defense in both the initial and subsequent trials.

The Seoul Central District Court's 50th Criminal Division upheld the fine in the second trial on defamation charges. The decision was finalized as neither the prosecution nor Mr. A appealed the ruling.

In December 2022, Mr. A posted a comment online in response to an article about Han Seo Hee, implying that she was involved in drug use. Han Seo Hee filed a complaint against him for defamation, as in South Korea, defamation charges require a formal complaint from the victim. The court found Mr. A guilty of defaming Han Seo Hee, stating that his comment was derogatory and damaging to her social reputation.

Mr. A defended himself by claiming that his comment was a satirical scenario, but the court did not accept this argument. He appealed the decision in a second trial, but his explanations were once again rejected by the Seoul Central District Court's 50th Criminal Division. The court maintained the original fine, emphasizing that Mr. A's comment objectified and degraded Han Seo Hee.

Han Seo Hee had previously been involved in drug-related controversies and served a prison sentence for drug offenses.