The court imposes a fine and mandatory treatment
A serious case of deepfake sexual exploitation against the NewJeans members has resulted in legal consequences. On November 20, 2025, the Pohang branch of the Daegu District Court’s Criminal Division 1, led by Judge Park Kwang Sun, sentenced a 21-year-old man to a fine of 15 million KRW, which is approximately 10,185 USD. He was found guilty of violating the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth Against Sexual Offenses after producing and distributing sexually exploitative deepfake content. The court also ordered the offender to complete 40 hours of a sexual violence treatment program.
Details of the deepfake crime and the court’s statement
The man created manipulated photos and videos at his home in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, this January. He utilized the faces of NewJeans members Haerin, Hanni, and Minji, editing their faces onto the bodies of others in explicit contexts and shared the materials through social media platforms. According to the court, the offender shared the videos on Telegram through a channel accessed by about two hundred people.
HYBE’s ADOR response and ongoing legal matters
On November 17, 2025, ADOR stated through social media that it was actively working with investigators to combat deepfake crimes involving its artists. The agency confirmed that it rejected recent settlement attempts from offenders and emphasized its commitment to seeking firm punishment. It also warned of strict consequences for defamatory online posts:
“The severity of rights violations against NewJeans has escalated. We will soon file criminal complaints against individuals who have posted defamatory content online.”
These developments are taking place as NewJeans continue to face legal arrangements under HYBE’s ADOR. The group lost its exclusive contract validity lawsuit on October 30, 2025. Shortly after that, Haerin and Hyein were announced to be returning to ADOR on November 12th. However, the agency has not confirmed whether the remaining three members, Minji, Hanni, and Danielle, will rejoin. Reportedly, they’re holding private meetings to confirm their intentions to come back.