aespa Deepfake Case: Creator and Seller Sentenced to 2 Years and 6 Months in Prison

A defendant accused of creating and distributing deepfake videos involving aespa members Karina and Winter has been sentenced to two years and six months in prison. The aespa deepfake case was reported on June 18, 2026, after SM Entertainment said the defendant, identified only as A, produced and sold the manipulated videos for profit.¹

The ruling was issued by the Daegu High Court’s 1st Criminal Division. In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered A to complete 80 hours of a sexual violence treatment program and imposed a seven-year employment restriction at institutions related to children and adolescents.¹

Prison Sentence in the aespa Deepfake Case

Multiple Korean outlets reported the same core ruling: A was convicted in connection with deepfake content targeting Karina and Winter, and the court handed down a custodial sentence rather than a suspended term. Newsis reported that the defendant received two years and six months in prison, along with the treatment program and employment restriction.²

The Hankyoreh also reported that the defendant created and sold deepfake videos involving aespa members and that the Daegu High Court added the 80-hour treatment order and seven-year restriction.³ SBS separately reported that A had been indicted on charges connected to producing and distributing deepfake content involving Karina and Winter, and that the court imposed the same additional orders.⁴

The case centers on digitally manipulated sexualized content, commonly described as deepfake material, involving real public figures without consent. The available source material identifies the affected aespa members as Karina and Winter and says the content was sold for profit. It does not provide the defendant’s full name, detailed charging statutes, or a full sentencing opinion.

The sentence is significant in the context of entertainment-industry legal action because SM Entertainment framed the outcome as part of a broader response to deepfake crimes, malicious posts, and other illegal online activity involving its artists. The company said it has collected evidence and pursued complaints based on monitoring and reports from fans.⁴

SM Entertainment Says It Will Continue Legal Action

SM Entertainment said it would respond firmly without leniency or settlement, stating that it would take strong action “without any leniency or agreement.”¹ The same position was repeated across reports citing the company’s statement, with Newsis also quoting SM as saying it would respond strongly without leniency or settlement.²

The agency said it had gathered thousands of pieces of evidence, including malicious posts and comments, and that some defendants had already been identified while related investigations were ongoing.¹ The available reports indicate that SM has treated the deepfake case as one part of a wider legal response covering online insults, distorted content, and criminal acts involving aespa.

YTN reported that SM plans to expand evidence collection and complaint procedures for criminal conduct involving aespa, including insults and the production or distribution of distorted content.⁵ The Hankyoreh reported that SM is continuously monitoring major domestic and overseas platforms and conducting legal review of related criminal activity.³

The company’s response reflects a broader shift in how entertainment agencies address AI-generated and digitally manipulated content. The sources do not provide a separate breakdown of all pending complaints or the number of people under investigation, but they do say SM is continuing to monitor platforms and pursue legal procedures where evidence supports action.

Reports Align on Court Orders and Victims Identified

The reporting from Newspim, Newsis, The Hankyoreh, SBS, YTN, and Kyunghyang Shinmun aligns on the central facts: the defendant created and sold deepfake videos involving Karina and Winter, the case was heard by the Daegu High Court, and the sentence was two years and six months in prison.⁶

The additional court orders were also consistently reported. The defendant was ordered to complete 80 hours of a sexual violence treatment program and was barred for seven years from employment at child and youth-related institutions.¹ These conditions were reported alongside the prison term, indicating that the court treated the case not only as a distribution matter but also as one requiring post-sentencing restrictions and treatment obligations.

The available sources do not state whether the defendant plans to appeal, whether prosecutors will seek further review, or whether other defendants in related cases have received final judgments. They also do not provide the exact date of the court hearing beyond the June 18, 2026 publication date of the reports.

The aespa deepfake case now stands as a confirmed criminal judgment involving manipulated content targeting K-pop artists Karina and Winter. Based on the reported ruling and SM Entertainment’s statement, the agency intends to keep pursuing legal action against deepfake production, distribution, and other online conduct involving aespa without settlement or leniency.

About the Author

Cloi Lee

Author

View All Posts