Actor Lee Yi-kyung accused of sexual misconduct, leaked video taken down after 9 hours amid rights violation claim

Lee Yi-kyung / Xportsnews

A controversial social media post targeting actor Lee Yi-kyung was taken down nine hours after it went viral, following a removal request citing a “rights violation,” according to Korean online portal Naver.

The post, uploaded by an anonymous blogger, accused Lee of sexual misconduct and included what was claimed to be a screen recording of direct messages allegedly exchanged with the actor’s account. “Everyone asked me to show it, so here’s the screen recording. It’s the real account,” the anonymous post said.

On Monday, an individual uploaded a blog post titled “Exposing the real Lee Yi-kyung,” sharing screenshots of alleged conversations with the actor. The messages appeared to show a man making sexually suggestive remarks and requests for explicit photos, shocking readers.

As of noon on Tuesday, the video was no longer available. The page now displays a message reading, “This post has been temporarily suspended at the request of another user,” adding that the action complies with Article 44-2 of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.

The notice further explains that any person who believes their privacy or reputation has been violated by content made public online may request deletion from the service provider. Platforms such as Naver are legally required to take prompt action, including temporary suspension or removal of content, and to notify both the complainant and the original poster.

Only one post remains on the account — a rebuttal to Lee’s agency’s official statement denying the allegations and warning of legal action.

In their rebuttal, the blogger wrote, “Hello, this is the account that uploaded the post about Lee Yi-kyung earlier. I’m seeing rumors that I asked for money — that’s not true. I once asked if it was possible to get help, but I never received any money.” They added, “I only posted it to warn others so that other women wouldn’t go through the same thing.”

The anonymous blogger claimed to be a German national who has been studying Korean for eight years, saying, “Please don’t interfere with my personal life. I didn’t expect this to blow up like this.”

The controversy erupted after Lee’s agency, Sangyoung ENT, issued an official statement on Monday saying it was preparing legal action over “false rumors and defamation.” The agency said the anonymous blogger had been sending threatening emails to demand money for about five months, and had previously apologized after the company announced plans to pursue legal measures.

Lee, known for his roles in dramas such as ‘Welcome to Waikiki” and “Marry My Husband,” has not personally commented on the latest allegations.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.