Petitions call for ban on sexualised fanfiction and deepfake porn featuring K-pop stars and South Korean entertainers

The petitions are against same-sex or sexualised fanfiction and deepfake porn featuring K-pop stars and others

South Korea has seen other scandals, involving spycam footage and the Nth Room blackmail case

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K-pop singer Nancy from girl group Momoland was recently photographed in a changing room without her knowledge and the images were manipulated and shared online. Photo: MLD Entertainment

Published: 10:15pm, 14 Jan 2021Updated: 4:44am, 15 Jan 2021

A petition has been circulating in South Korea this week calling for sexualised fanfiction featuring K-pop stars and other real life people to be outlawed, but many are questioning the rationale behind the call.

The talking point of “real person slash” – shorthand for fan-written fiction, aka fanfiction depicting same-sex relationships – became a topic of discussion this week as some began to equate the fan-made creations with sex offences.

The petition rose to public attention shortly after secretly taken photos of Momoland member Nancy were manipulated and shared online earlier this week. The petition mainly focuses on the way male stars are depicted in same-sex relationships and also questions the depiction of underage stars in the stories.

Another petition submitted on January 13 to South Korea’s presidential Blue House, to punish those who create deepfake porn videos featuring female entertainers, has over 337,000 signatures.

South Korean rapper Son Simba supports the campaign against fanfiction. Photo: Cheers Music Production

Rappers Son Simba and Bewhy’s support of the campaign against fanfiction on social media has helped boost the issue, and the petition emerged calling for laws to ban the practice and make it a sex offence.

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