A 30-year-old South Korean woman is still battling trauma three years after being bombarded with fake nude images online. The images have left her struggling to communicate with men and using a mobile phone triggers nightmare flashbacks.
Many other women in South Korea have shared similar stories as the country faces a surge of non-consensual explicit deepfake videos and images. Recent legislation has made possessing such content illegal, but perpetrators, often teenage boys, continue to target women out of curiosity or misogyny.
The prevalence of deepfake porn has sparked protests and demands for stricter regulations. The issue has raised concerns about trust between men and women in the country.
The woman interviewed by The AP had her life disrupted and has been diagnosed with panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite some perpetrators being detained, the lasting impact of the fake images continues to haunt her.
The deepfake problem in South Korea reflects a larger issue of online sexual crimes and societal misogyny. The lack of severe punishment for offenders has led to a disturbing trend of male juveniles consuming deepfake porn for entertainment.
As South Korea grapples with deepfake porn, the country is also facing challenges related to gender roles, workplace discrimination, and social burdens on both men and women.
The urgency to address deepfake crimes has become paramount amid South Korea’s gender inequality issues and the growing distrust between men and women.