107 Years Undefended: The Generative AI Videos Mocking Yu Gwan-sun, Kim Gu, and Ahn Jung-geun — and the Legal Vacuum
Ahead of the 107th March 1st Independence Movement anniversary, generative AI videos mocking independence activist Yu Gwan-sun garnered over 200,000 views and sparked nationwide outrage. Korea's current laws on defamation of the deceased and criminal insult do not apply to the dead, laying bare a glaring gap in both law and platform regulation.
Note on Images: The prison mugshot photograph of independence activist Yu Gwan-sun is a copyrighted item held by the National Institute of Korean History and cannot be reproduced here. A public domain alternative image is used instead.
Why This Matters Right Now
On the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement, generative AI videos mocking independence activists have already racked up hundreds of thousands of views. More shocking still is the fact that current law provides no means to punish the creators.
TL;DR
- Between February 22–27, 2026, AI-generated videos and posts ridiculing Yu Gwan-sun, Kim Gu, and Ahn Jung-geun were posted on TikTok and YouTube, accumulating over 200,000 views.
- The videos are believed to have been produced using OpenAI's video generation tool Sora, restoring and then mocking Yu Gwan-sun's prison mugshot — taken while she was tortured and imprisoned at Seodaemun Prison during the March 1st Movement.
- Defamation of the deceased requires proof of false statements of fact; criminal insult applies only to living persons — leaving a legal gap for mocking the dead.
- Beyond the Korea Communications Standards Commission requesting platform takedowns, there is no mechanism for immediate sanctions.
- Internationally, OpenAI has blocked the generation of videos using Martin Luther King Jr.'s likeness, but domestic legislative debate in Korea is still in its early stages.
The Facts — What Happened
Content of the Videos
Starting February 22, 2026, two videos related to independence activist Yu Gwan-sun were posted on TikTok one day apart.
- Video 1 — Yu Gwan-sun is depicted in a restaurant scene, flatulating and saying, "I couldn't hold it — what a relief."
- Video 2 — A "Yu Gwan-sun Fart Rocket" with her upper body and a rocket lower body flies into space. A ground controller says, "The fuel is running out — Yu Gwan-sun needs to fart harder to keep going."
- Video 3 — Yu Gwan-sun expresses affection toward the Japanese imperial flag (the scene that drew the most outrage).
The videos accumulated over 200,000 views in total, with similar videos shared to YouTube and social media accounts generating hundreds of thousands of additional views.
How the AI Was Used
The videos are believed to have been created using OpenAI's video generation model Sora. The reference source for her likeness was the prison mugshot taken in a prisoner's uniform when she was imprisoned at Seodaemun Prison during the March 1st Movement. Her face, swollen from Japanese torture, was AI-restored and then used for mockery.
Scale of Spread
As of February 27, Professor Seo Gyeong-deok of Sungshin Women's University reported finding posts mocking the appearance of Kim Gu and Ahn Jung-geun in addition to the Yu Gwan-sun videos. The original poster has since deleted all the videos.
How It Spread — Why It Went Viral
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Platform Algorithms | TikTok and YouTube assign higher exposure weight to "controversial content" |
| Sora Accessibility | Since OpenAI's Sora became publicly available, anyone can create realistic videos without technical expertise |
| March 1st Timing | Searches for independence activists spike around this date — Yu Gwan-sun keywords naturally receive high exposure |
| The Outrage Paradox | Critical comments and shares are interpreted by algorithms as "high engagement," driving further spread |
Context & Background — The Dual Nature of AI
The Paradox of Restoration
The same AI technology is being used in diametrically opposite ways. The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education produced an AI restoration video of nine student independence activists to commemorate March 1st, moving many viewers (related post). The National Museum of Korea and the National Institute of Korean History also held special exhibitions restoring independence activists to mark the 80th anniversary of liberation. AI technology can be a powerful tool for history education — and simultaneously a weapon for historical distortion.
International Precedent
In October 2025, OpenAI blocked the generation of videos using the likeness of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on Sora, after mocking content spread widely and caused harm to his family. Fabricated videos had been generated showing him making racist remarks during his "I Have a Dream" speech.
The Legal Gap — Why Punishment Is Impossible
Defamation of the Deceased (Criminal Act, Article 308)
- Requirement: Punishment requires proving the assertion of false facts
- Limitation: Crude mockery — such as flatulence or rocket compositing — does not fit the elements of the offense since there is no factual claim to evaluate as true or false
Criminal Insult (Criminal Act, Article 311)
- Requirement: Publicly insulting a person — punishable by up to 1 year imprisonment or a fine of up to 2 million won
- Limitation: The protected category is limited to living persons — cannot be applied to the deceased
Defamation under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization
- Limitation: Difficult to apply to mere mockery of the deceased under the current structure
The Only Available Remedy
The only option is for the Korea Communications Standards Commission to request platform operators to remove the content and rely on platform self-regulation.
Outlook — How Long Will This Last?
- Short term: Search volume for related keywords will peak during the March 1st holiday (3/1–3/2). High likelihood of similar controversies recurring during this period.
- Mid term: A Criminal Act amendment establishing a new offense of defamation of the deceased has been proposed. This incident may accelerate National Assembly deliberation.
- Long term: Legislation strengthening platform liability to prevent generative AI abuse is unavoidable. An expansion of OpenAI's own guidelines is also anticipated.
Action Checklist
References
- Chosun Ilbo — AI mockery of Yu Gwan-sun ahead of March 1st sparks fury
- Yonhap News TV — Controversy over AI videos mocking independence activist Yu Gwan-sun
- Segye Ilbo — AI technology that awoke the independence cries of 107 years ago leaves historical figures defenseless against mockery — a legal blind spot
- Asia Economy — Independence activist mockery AI videos brazenly circulating on social media days before March 1st
- Korea Economic Daily — Public outrage over content mocking independence activists including Yu Gwan-sun
- Gyeonggi Ilbo — After Yu Gwan-sun mockery AI, Kim Gu is next… what is happening ahead of March 1st
- MBC News — 'Yu Gwan-sun ridicule video' sparks outrage ahead of March 1st
Image Credits
- Photo of Yu Gwan-sun: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Ryu_Gwan-sun.jpg)