Popular Mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang appeared at the National Assembly Hearing on Cyber-bullying and shared, "The fear of a second retaliation made me powerless."
Tzuyang (real name Park Jung Won), a major YouTuber with 12.5 million subscribers, appeared as a witness at the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee (SIBCC)'s parliamentary audit to provide vivid testimony about the realities of "cyber-bullies," known as cyber wreckers who victimize others.
Tzuyang, who attended at the request of National Assembly member Kim Jang Gyeom of the People Power Party, spoke alongside her legal representative. She earnestly appealed for the creation of necessary social systems, based on her personal experience, to prevent further victims.
Tzuyang described in detail her experiences of being intimidated and extorted for money by Cyber Wrecker YouTubers, who profit by spreading sensational issues online.
She recalled the situation at the time, stating that she was subject to threats and demands for money by these cyber-bullies for several years, leaving her "so scared and helpless that I couldn't do anything."
Tzuyang strongly criticized YouTube's inadequate measures against malicious videos containing false information. She specifically addressed the platform's slow response, saying, "The speed of video dissemination is very fast, with hundreds of thousands of people watching in a single day, but it takes at least a week for a video to be deleted, and sometimes they are not deleted at all."
She emphasized the difficulty of dispelling misunderstandings once they have spread, even if a video is eventually deleted, explaining that the time gap between the rapid spread of false information and the deletion process has a devastating impact on victims.
High Litigation Costs and Fear of Secondary Harm Are the Biggest Barriers
Tzuyang also raised the enormous cost of fighting the cyber-bullies as a serious social issue. She stressed that the financial burden is a significant burden for victims, saying, "I have broadcast earnings, but it is difficult for ordinary citizens, office workers, and students to afford litigation costs, and they may also need hospital treatment."
She cited the fear of secondary harm, social stigma, and retaliation from the perpetrators as the most difficult aspects.
Tzuyang candidly admitted that "the fear of second retaliation" was so great that she was unable to do anything for a time. She explained that she is currently managing to fight back only with the help of those around her.
Kim Tae Yeon, Tzuyang's legal representative, pointed out that while the statutory penalties for defamation under the current Information and Communications Network Act are high, the actual rate of imprisonment is low. As a result, the perception is widespread among content creators that a fine is the typical outcome.
She explained that although there were over 14,000 defamation cases last year, the indictment rate was only 21.7% and 85% of the indicted cases concluded with a fine of 5 million KRW (approx. 3,500 USD) or less. Attorney Kim emphasized the need for effective punishment, stating, "Advertising revenue and Super chat revenue are often much greater than 5 million KRW."
An Earnest Plea to Consider the Victim's Feelings Before Posting Malicious Comments
Tzuyang earnestly requested, "I am used to receiving malicious comments on the internet, but there are many people who are not," adding, "I sincerely ask that when leaving a comment online, you think just once that the recipient also has feelings and can feel deep sadness."
Currently, a 'Cyber-Bullying Prevention Act,' referencing Europe's 'Digital Services Act (DSA),' has been proposed in the National Assembly. The bill includes a provision to revoke accounts or restrict profit if online service providers warn problematic users, but no improvement was made.
Choi Min Hee, Chairperson of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee, thanked Tzuyang for her courage and promised, "In response to the courage you have shown today, we will do our utmost to prevent such incidents in the future and will certainly pass related legislation within this regular session of the National Assembly."
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