Managing Attorney Noh Jong-eon | Ilgan Sports 「Noh Jong-eon Entertainment Court」 Column

Hello. This is Law Firm Jeonjae.

* This post has been substantially shortened to protect the intellectual property rights of Ilgan Sports. You can view the full article on Ilgan Sports.

A Society Where You Cannot Be Protected Unless You Are a 'Perfect Victim'

In his column, Managing Attorney Noh Jong-eon points out a phenomenon in which, when a famous celebrity or influencer becomes a victim of crime, public attention shifts not to the perpetrator's crime but to the victim's past behavior or attitude. "Why were they there at that time?" "What was their usual behavior like?" — this is the so-called 'victim blaming.' He analyzes this as a structural form of violence created by the interplay of human psychological defense mechanisms, the standards of Korean society, and blind spots in the law, rather than simple curiosity or impulsive malicious comments.

Distortions Created by the 'Just-World Hypothesis'

According to Managing Attorney Noh Jong-eon's column, the root of this phenomenon lies in psychology's 'just-world hypothesis.' People instinctively want to believe that the world works rationally and fairly. When confronted with the absurd situation of an innocent person suffering a horrific crime, they rationalize the situation by saying, to ease their anxiety, that "there must have been some reason for it on the victim's part." In particular, Korean society has a strong tendency to evaluate personal morality and ability as one, so if a victim fails to display the 'flawless, perfect victim' image that the public expects, sympathy is immediately withdrawn and people turn their backs on them.

Investigative Practices and 'Social Murder'

Managing Attorney Noh Jong-eon cites the death of the late Lee Sun-kyun as a textbook case of 'social murder' created by judicial authorities, the media, and cyber wreckers. From the stage of the internal investigation, investigative information was leaked, and the investigative process that should have calmly handled criminal suspicion was distorted into a live broadcast of private life and a trial by public opinion. When the faulty practices of investigative agencies are added to this, the tragedy grows beyond control.

'Silencing Effect' That Silences Victims

Managing Attorney Noh Jong-eon concludes his column this way. The most horrific harm left by victim blaming toward celebrities is the 'silencing effect' that discourages ordinary victims in similar situations and makes them keep their mouths shut. Watching even celebrities, who enjoy enormous protection, being mercilessly torn apart, non-celebrity victims exposed to workplace bullying or sexual crimes give up speaking out to the world. "No one can be a perfect victim, nor is there any need to be. Only when the wounded can be fully protected can the true human progress of our society finally begin."

「Noh Jong-eon's Entertainment Court」 is regularly serialized in Ilgan Sports. Managing Attorney Noh Jong-eon of Law Firm Jeonjae explains legal issues in the entertainment industry based on his on-site experience.