Lawsuits planned on showbiz 'X-files'
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Lawyers for show business personalities and entertainment agencies are drawing up lawsuits seeking damages over unauthorized release on the Internet of "X-files" containing lurid and other private insights of 99 celebrities.
Rumbles from the controversy continued to rattle the entertainment world because the 113-page document lifts the veil on the celebrities, including sex scandal rumors.
Show business experts say disclosure of the report, commissioned by the nation's top advertising company Cheil Communications and drawn up by Dongseo Research, is expected to wind up at the center of massive lawsuits.
A number of TV celebrities, including actress Kim Min-sun and actor An Jae-wook, told a news conference yesterday that they were hurt by the disclosure of the report. But they did not say what countermeasures they will take.
Cheil said it believed someone from the research agency leaked the internal report - drawn up as reference material for TV advertising contracts - on the Internet, Yonhap news agency reported.
Most entertainment managing agencies and entertainers are moving to take collective legal action, a group of lawyers of the Hankyul law firm told a news conference on Thursday.
Although the committee formed by representatives of concerned entertainers said settlements have not been determined yet as petitions are still not finalized, experts said the amounts were likely to be astronomical considering how many major celebrities are involved.
The lawyers said they are going to file suits against both companies at both penal and civil levels for libel and violations of privacy and will present a petition possibly next week.
They said they will also take legal action against journalists and reporters who were interviewed for the report, and are seeking legal recourse against Internet users who have distributed the document.
Cheil Communications released an official statement on Wednesday, apologizing to the celebrities for the unintended release of the document. It said the report was strictly for internal use and was incomplete, and thus not meant to be publicized.
Cheil also said the file is presumed to have been leaked from the research company. They declined to comment on any legal plans.
Ten veteran journalists and reporters are also taking measures against both companies, including civil suits. They asked the advertisement company yesterday to come up with a solution that will restore their damaged integrity.
By Hwang You-mee
Rumbles from the controversy continued to rattle the entertainment world because the 113-page document lifts the veil on the celebrities, including sex scandal rumors.
Show business experts say disclosure of the report, commissioned by the nation's top advertising company Cheil Communications and drawn up by Dongseo Research, is expected to wind up at the center of massive lawsuits.
A number of TV celebrities, including actress Kim Min-sun and actor An Jae-wook, told a news conference yesterday that they were hurt by the disclosure of the report. But they did not say what countermeasures they will take.
Cheil said it believed someone from the research agency leaked the internal report - drawn up as reference material for TV advertising contracts - on the Internet, Yonhap news agency reported.
Most entertainment managing agencies and entertainers are moving to take collective legal action, a group of lawyers of the Hankyul law firm told a news conference on Thursday.
Although the committee formed by representatives of concerned entertainers said settlements have not been determined yet as petitions are still not finalized, experts said the amounts were likely to be astronomical considering how many major celebrities are involved.
The lawyers said they are going to file suits against both companies at both penal and civil levels for libel and violations of privacy and will present a petition possibly next week.
They said they will also take legal action against journalists and reporters who were interviewed for the report, and are seeking legal recourse against Internet users who have distributed the document.
Cheil Communications released an official statement on Wednesday, apologizing to the celebrities for the unintended release of the document. It said the report was strictly for internal use and was incomplete, and thus not meant to be publicized.
Cheil also said the file is presumed to have been leaked from the research company. They declined to comment on any legal plans.
Ten veteran journalists and reporters are also taking measures against both companies, including civil suits. They asked the advertisement company yesterday to come up with a solution that will restore their damaged integrity.
By Hwang You-mee
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