Court: "Insults Against Virtual Idols Also Constitute Defamation"... PLAVE Wins Lawsuit Over Online Disparaging Remarks

The five-member virtual idol group 'PLAVE' has won a ruling in a damages lawsuit against an internet user who made insulting remarks online.

The Uijeongbu District Court, Goyang Branch, Civil Division 8 (Judge Jang Yoo-jin) announced on the 18th that in the damages claim lawsuit filed by PLAVE against internet user A, it ruled, "The defendant shall compensate each of the five plaintiffs 100,000 won," thus partially ruling in favor of the plaintiffs.

It is reported that A posted several disparaging comments about the appearance of PLAVE members on social media (SNS) last July, mocking the real-life individuals portraying them. In response, PLAVE filed a lawsuit demanding 6.5 million won in damages for each of the five members, claiming the actions constituted insults.

During the trial, A argued, "They are not real individuals but virtual characters, and since their identities are not disclosed, there can be no recognition of identity between the virtual characters and the plaintiffs." However, the court did not accept this argument.

Judge Jang stated in the ruling, "Considering that in the metaverse era, avatars are not merely simple virtual images but a means of self-expression, identity, and social communication for users, acts of insult against avatars can also be seen as infringing on the external reputation of the actual users."

This ruling is noteworthy as the first judicial determination that online insults against virtual idols constitute defamation against the actual performers. PLAVE, which debuted in 2023, is a virtual idol group where real individuals perform using motion capture technology to create virtual characters.