Super Junior member and actor Choi Siwon has taken legal action against anonymous online users who allegedly posted malicious comments about him, and recently managed to obtain a US court order to identify them.
According to reports published on July 3, the US District Court for the Northern District of California approved Choi Siwon’s discovery request on July 2. The order allows him to search for identifying information for 10 anonymous users on foreign platforms, including X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube.
Court documents obtained by local media reveal that Choi Siwon has been subject to ongoing online abuse since former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on December 3, 2024. The attacks intensified after Yoon was sentenced to life in prison in February on charges of leading an insurrection. At that time, Choi Siwon published the Chinese idiom “Injustice will inevitably perish, collapsing like crumbling earth and shattered tiles,” along with a Bible verse about social media.
Many Internet users interpreted the post as carrying a political message, triggering a heated debate. The controversy escalated further after conservative YouTuber Jeon Han Gil publicly expressed support for the singer.
Following the incident, X and YouTube were flooded with offensive comments targeting Choi Siwon’s political views, religious beliefs, appearance and career. Some users urged him to leave Super Junior, while others mocked him, saying he should become a politician if he wanted to express political opinions. Further comments accused him of clinging to his idol career for financial reasons and criticized him based on his religion.
In May, Choi Siwon filed a civil lawsuit in the Seoul Central District Court, seeking damages against the 10 anonymous users for defamation and insult. To advance the case, he subsequently asked the US court to force X and Google to disclose identifying information such as names, dates of birth and addresses linked to the accounts.
His legal team argued that the language used in the posts and available account information strongly suggested that none of the defendants were citizens or residents of the United States. They then requested the court’s assistance in identifying the individuals so the case could proceed in South Korea.
The court granted the request. In his ruling, the judge cited legal precedent saying that First Amendment protections for free speech do not apply to foreign nationals outside U.S. territory in these circumstances. The court also found no evidence that the anonymous users were American citizens and noted that the posts were about a South Korean public figure. It also determined that the request was narrowly targeted, seeking only information necessary to identify the defendants rather than excessive personal data.
With the ruling in place, Choi Siwon can now continue to pursue the lawsuit in South Korea. His agency, SM Entertainment, previously said it is gathering evidence against those responsible for spreading false information and harmful content against its artists, adding that it plans to gradually expand legal actions against confirmed violators.
Sources: Daum
