On Tuesday the internet was abuzz with a clip from a recently aired TV advertisement that featured Yura of Girls’ Day promoting a birth control pill.

The advertisement itself was a shocker -- as sex has been a near-taboo for idol singers in the country.

But the verbal assault by some online commenters was yet another reminder that female celebrities still are frequently exposed to sexual harassment online.

Within hours of the ad’s release, posts saying Yura was telling viewers to engage in sexual intercourse in a specific manner appeared on Ilbe, with one post garnering nearly 600 thumbs-up of approval in less than half a day from being uploaded.

Apparently, only 23 thought it was inappropriate.

Ilbe of course, is notorious for its members’ misogynistic tendencies. A derogatory term that translates to “kimchi-women” is commonly used for Korean women across the forum.

The Korea Herald in the past has attempted to analyze Ilbe and its tenacious animosity toward women, minorities and liberal figures.

(http://khnews.kheraldm.com/view.php?ud=20141216000655&md=20141217124021_BL)

But a bigger issue is that such reckless hatred can sometimes turn into real-life threats.

In June, Apink’s showcase encountered an unexpected hiccup after an anonymous threat claimed to have installed an explosive device at the venue, a claim which later turned out to be false.

Recently, responses from the singers have grown sterner.

JYP Entertainment recently vowed legal actions against an Ilbe member for a death threat he or she made against Mina of Twice.

Earlier in the year, IU similarly vowed to pursue legal action against a Korean YouTuber for his sexual comments about her and suggestive actions like licking a bottle of liquor that had IU’s picture on it.
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)