Accused woman speaks out on failed settlement with Hwang Jung Eum over defamation claims

It was previously reported that Hwang Jung Eum has been sued for defamation by a woman, referred to as Ms. A, whom she publicly misidentified as her husband’s mistress. Ms. A explained the reasons behind the failed settlement talk in a statement on her social media on June 25 KST.

Ms. A expressed her frustration, saying, “The essence of the case is being overshadowed by baseless speculations about the settlement amount. The settlement fell through because I removed a clause that required me to acknowledge defamation, and I added a clause stating that if I violated the confidentiality of the agreement, I would have to pay double the settlement amount to Hwang Jung Eum.”

She continued, “Despite a correction article clarifying that I am not the mistress, some people only believe what they want. As a single woman, I need to clear my name completely for my future husband, children, in-laws, and my dreams. Therefore, I decided to sue Hwang Jung Eum for defamation. Although Hwang Jung Eum claimed financial difficulties, I initially agreed to halve the settlement amount and even accepted her request to pay it over two months, wanting to resolve the issue quickly for my mental health.”

Ms. A further explained, “The agency claimed I refused to meet and raised the settlement amount at the final stage, but I was reluctant to meet and didn’t want to. Why should I meet someone who not only mentioned me as a prostitute but also made sexually harassing remarks? Does this behavior reflect a genuine apology? I think I’ve been very patient.”

She also stated, “If money was my goal, I would have agreed to the settlement immediately, ignoring everything else. Hwang Jung-eum revealed my face, Instagram ID, called me a prostitute, and said I charge 300,000 won for a night. Considering all this, claiming that I am after money is absurd.”

Ms. A concluded by expressing her emotional distress, “The ongoing accusations that I am after money, the humiliation I felt at the time, and the continuous emotional strain are overwhelming. I decided to press charges, knowing the consequences, but it’s incredibly hard. I urge everyone to stop the secondary victimization and focus on the core issue.”

Previously, Hwang Jung Eum had publicly accused Ms. A of having an affair with her husband, Lee Young Don, sharing photos and account details that could identify Ms. A. Although Hwang Jung Eum deleted the posts, they quickly spread across social media and online communities.

Ms. A and her friend, Ms. B, denied the allegations, stating that they did not even know who Lee Young Don was and demanded an apology from Hwang Jung Eum. Hwang Jung Eum later apologized, acknowledging the misunderstanding and the harm caused by her posts.

However, as the settlement talks failed, Ms. A proceeded with her defamation lawsuit against Hwang Jung Eum.