Squid Game 2 Actor Park Gyu-young Falls Victim To South Korea’s Growing Deepfake Porn Scandal

K-drama star Park Gyu-young, known for her roles in Celebrity, A Good Day to Be a Dog, Sweet Home and Squid Game Season 2, has now become the latest victim in a disturbing deepfake porn scandal that is currently shaking South Korea. With the rise of artificial videos that are unlawfully being circulated, her agency Saram Entertainment, made an official statement on Tuesday. According to the reports, the agency said they “will respond to this matter with utmost seriousness.” The agency’s statement emphasised, “We will continue to take a firm stance against any illegal activities related to our actors.”

“We deeply appreciate the proactive reports and concerns from our fans,” says Saram Entertainment, according to The Korea Times. This agency also manages Girls’ Generation’s Choi Soo Young, Extraordinary You actor Jung Gun Joo, Squid Game Season 1’s Jung Ho Yeon and XO Kitty’s Choi Mon Young, among others.

Take a look at the statement here:

This scandal has intensified in recent months, with more artists from South Korea’s entertainment industry being featured in these illicit deepfake videos. Several well-known female K-pop stars have also been victimised as AI technology is increasingly being misused to superimpose idols’ faces onto inappropriate content.

Fans have been vocal and have demanded the authorities take immediate and firm action against the proliferation of these disturbing videos. Some of these videos also feature underage female idols.

Park Gyu-young’s management is not the only one speaking out. JYP Entertainment, which represents TWICE, recently declared its intent to pursue legal action over the disturbing deepfake videos involving the group’s members. In an official statement dated August 30, the agency expressed their concern: “We are gravely concerned about the recent spread of deepfake (AI-generated) videos involving our artists. This is a blatant violation of the law, and we are in the process of collecting all relevant evidence to pursue the strongest legal action with a leading law firm, without leniency.”

They made it clear that they won’t tolerate any violations of their artists’ rights: “We will take decisive action to address this matter to the fullest extent possible,” their statement added.

CUBE Entertainment, which manages the girl group (G)I-DLE, also issued a firm warning against the creation and distribution of deepfake content. “We will take strong legal action with no leniency against those who create and distribute deepfake content,” they stated.

YG Entertainment, representing groups like BLACKPINK, BABYMONSTER, and 2NE1, joined the outcry just two days ago. Their statement read: “We are seriously concerned about the ongoing creation and circulation of inappropriate deepfake content (AI-based synthetic videos) involving our artists. We are continuously monitoring these extensive and malicious illegal activities, actively working to remove and block such content. We are also pursuing all possible legal measures, including criminal proceedings, to address these issues.”

YG also emphasised their commitment to protecting their artists, saying, “We are committed to firmly and rigorously responding to any illegal acts that significantly harm the dignity and reputation of our artists.”