[Exclusive] Model and YouTuber Aori (real name Kim Min-young) has won a lawsuit against a clinic in a case involving severe bruising across her body following an injection treatment. The court ruled in favor of Aori, dismissing the hospital’s claim that she had disseminated false information. On the 15th, the Seoul High Court’s 13th Civil Division ruled against a clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, which had sued Aori for 1.3 billion won, accusing her of spreading false information. The court upheld the first instance ruling, dismissing the hospital’s claims.
Aori had shared photos of her extensive bruises on social media in October 2021, stating that they resulted from a health injection at the clinic. She detailed the circumstances on her YouTube channel. The hospital did not apologize but instead hired a major law firm and countered the claims, saying Aori was justifying lies and falsehoods.
During the litigation, Aori’s ex-husband, Seo Joo-won, was ordered to pay 2 million won for writing insulting comments. The legal battle concluded with the court ruling that Aori’s claims were not false. The court found that the clinic had not sufficiently informed Aori about the potential for bruising from the procedure. Additionally, it ruled that the procedure, labeled as a “health injection,” was described as such in media promotions and online content from the clinic.
Key parts of the testimony, such as the procedure taking much longer than expected due to excessive bleeding, were deemed true. Aori’s statement that the clinic found it difficult to refund the amount was also supported by the court. Moreover, the court noted impropriety with the clinic director’s daughter, who assisted in the procedure, as she was not a medical professional. Aori’s claims, including those about additional payments for procedures during sedation, were also upheld by the court as not false.
The hospital’s criminal accusation against Aori for defamation was rejected based on a lack of malicious intent and falsehood. Meanwhile, Aori’s association with professional racer Seo Joo-won also became public when their four-year marriage ended in divorce, with both parties disputing the reasons behind the split.