Wendy, Jennie Face Malicious Online Attacks as Agencies Take Legal Action

Red Velvet's Wendy and Blackpink's Jennie are facing separate waves of malicious online content, prompting their agencies to warn of civil and criminal action. Red Velvet's Wendy and Blackpink's Jennie Kpop Starz Wendy's agency, ASND, issued a statement Aug. 19 addressing posts targeting the singer and fellow agency artists fromis_9. According to Soompi, ASND said it would respond firmly to malicious slander, false information, defamation, sexual harassment, and other conduct that infringes on its artists' rights, regardless of the severity of each case.The statement followed online commentary about Wendy's recent appearances at a Red Velvet fan concert and in fan-shot videos for the group's new song, "Surfin' Boy." Some users expressed concern about changes in her appearance, while other posts criticized her body, focused on specific body parts, made sexualized remarks, or circulated unverified speculation. Wendy xportsnews ASND said such content cannot be dismissed as opinion or freedom of expression when it degrades an artist's appearance, sexually objectifies the person or spreads false claims. The agency said it is preserving evidence from posts already identified and will con...