Suwon: A local court on Thursday sentenced a YouTuber to three years in prison on charges of blackmailing and extorting online "mukbang" star Tzuyang. The Suwon District Court handed down the sentence for YouTuber Gujeyeok, whose real name is Lee Jun-hee, on charges of extortion and immediately put him in detention.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee, who runs the YouTube channel Gujeyeok, was found guilty of coercing 55 million won (US$38,215) from Tzuyang by threatening to disclose allegations regarding the YouTube star's private life and alleged tax evasion. "The amount of money extorted from the victim is not small, and the damage has not been recovered," the court said.
The court also noted that Lee had attempted to mislead public opinion with false claims after his case was brought to the surface and showed no signs of remorse in court. Another YouTuber involved in the scheme, known for his channel Jujakgambeolsa, was sentenced to one year in prison, with the sentence suspended for three years.
Tzuyang, one of South Korea's most popular YouTubers, has more than 10 million subscribers and is known for her large-scale eating broadcasts, mukbang.