The Sunfull Foundation, a Korean organization dedicated to combating cyberbullying, called for a nationally designated “Sunfull Day” to encourage kind online comments as it marked the movement’s 19th anniversary Wednesday.
Lawmakers, diplomats, students, teachers, corporate representatives and celebrities gathered in central Seoul for a declaration ceremony against deepfakes and malicious comments. The foundation organized the event with the National Assembly Sunfull Committee and the National Sunfull Teachers Association.
Participants recited the K-Respect Declaration, pledging to combat artificial intelligence deepfakes and malicious comments while promoting respect for others online. They urged the government to designate an annual Sunfull Day devoted to posting supportive comments instead of malicious ones, and called for society to move beyond responding to cyberbullying only after tragedy strikes.
“The purpose of this event is to declare a new global standard for the digital era through the Sunfull culture of respect and consideration,” said Min Byoung-chul, chairperson of the foundation.
“I urge the state to step forward and designate a Sunfull Day — just one day a year without malicious comments, devoted to kind ones.”
Launched in 2007 following deaths linked to malicious online comments, the Sunfull movement has attracted 849,000 participants who have posted more than 10 million supportive comments, according to the foundation.
Six celebrities shared their experiences of malicious comments — broadcasters Kim Yong-man, Seo Kyung-suk and Lucky, chef Austin Kang and Gabi and Sriya of K-pop group Blackswan.
They were appointed as 2026 Sunfull human rights ambassadors, alongside students, teachers, movement leaders and the Korea Internet Corporations Association, which represents platform companies.
Diplomats representing 13 countries attended, including Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing and Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto, as well as the ambassador of the European Union delegation.
Dai expressed support for the foundation’s K-Respect campaign, which promotes respect for all neighbors, including foreign workers and multicultural families. He also pledged to support efforts to ensure that Koreans living in China receive the same respect.
EU Ambassador Ugo Astuto said the bloc was addressing harmful content such as deepfakes through the Digital Services Act and the AI Act, and called for cooperation with Korea to build a digital space grounded in respect.
Sunfull Foundation Chair Min said the growing threat posed by malicious comments and deepfakes requires support beyond the efforts of a single nongovernmental organization, urging national-level backing and corporate participation.
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