Two women who extorted over 200 million won from YouTuber Tzuyang (Park Jeong-won, 28) were sentenced to suspended prison terms in the first trial.

On the 20th, the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 12 (Judge Koo Chang-kyu) held a sentencing hearing for the two women, Ms. Kim in her 30s and Ms. Song in her 20s, who were indicted on charges of violating the Act on Punishment of Violences (joint extortion).

The court sentenced Ms. Song to 2 years in prison suspended for 4 years, and Ms. Kim to 1 year and 6 months in prison also suspended for 4 years. The two were ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and placed under probation. They were also given special instructions not to contact Tzuyang or approach her residence or workplace.

The court stated, "The duration of the crime was long, and the amount extorted was significant, showing a bad quality of the crime," but also noted, "They acknowledged their responsibility and apologized, and they have repaid an amount exceeding the extorted sum and reached an agreement with the victim, as well as considering that this is their first offense."

Ms. Kim and Ms. Song are accused of extorting 216 million won from Tzuyang by threatening to expose her private life between June 2021 and November 2022. It is reported that they threatened her by claiming they would reveal her personal matters.

In 2023, Ms. Song was also accused of attempting to demand an additional 15 million won but failed to do so. The court commented, "Even though a settlement agreement was made with the victim putting an end to the joint extortion, they committed another attempted extortion."

Tzuyang revealed in July of last year on YouTube, "My former agency's representative (my ex-boyfriend) said two women were threatening me and asked me to pay them to stay silent. I gave them 216 million won over two years."

Ms. Kim and Ms. Song pleaded for leniency during the sentencing hearing on the 18th of last month, saying, "I thought the agency representative was paying the extorted amount, and I lacked a sense of guilt. I deeply felt how much pain I caused the victim."

<Photo source: Tzuyang YouTube capture>