South Korean Supermodel Han Hye-jin Loses 860,000 Subscribers After YouTube Channel Hijacked for XRP Deepfake Scam

South Korean supermodel and TV personality Han Hye-jin has lost access to her YouTube channel — and more than 860,000 subscribers — after hackers took over her account to livestream a deepfake video of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse promoting an XRP-themed crypto scam.

According to South Korean outlet Maeil Kyungjae, cybercriminals seized control of Han’s channel in the early hours of November 10, airing a video titled “Ripple: CEO’s Growth Forecast.” The broadcast featured an AI-generated version of Garlinghouse touting Ripple’s “future strategies,” a tactic designed to trick viewers into fraudulent investment schemes.

Han confirmed on Instagram that neither she nor her production team were involved in the broadcast. “I hope no one was harmed or misled by it,” she said, adding that she was “shocked” to learn about the livestream from friends later that morning.

Shortly after the incident, YouTube deleted her channel, citing “violations of community guidelines.” The removal instantly wiped out Han’s years of work and her 860,000-strong subscriber base.

“I’m devastated that a channel I built with love and effort for so long vanished in an instant.”

She has since filed an appeal with YouTube but has yet to receive a response. Han’s channel, which typically featured lifestyle, fashion, and food content, was far removed from the crypto-related video that appeared during the hack.

Experts warn that the proliferation of open-source AI tools is fueling a surge in deepfake-driven crypto scams.

Fraser Edwards, co-founder and CEO of cheqd, a company specializing in AI content authentication explains

“Deepfake technology has become very accessible because the tools behind it have been simplified and open-sourced. New models now use low-rank adaptation, which drastically reduces the computing power needed to fine-tune AI systems. A convincing deepfake can now be generated from as few as 20 images in under 15 minutes on a consumer laptop.”

Ripple has not yet responded to requests for comment.

South Korean celebrities increasingly targeted

Han’s case underscores a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting South Korean public figures.

In 2023, hackers briefly hijacked two government-run YouTube channels related to tourism and culture, renaming them “SpaceX Invest” to mimic legitimate corporate accounts. Earlier this year, scammers also used deepfake footage of football star Son Heung-min to promote an illegal online casino.

Security analysts warn that such attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. A Russian cybersecurity firm reported last year that darkweb developers were selling AI bots capable of producing deepfakes of global personalities like Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson, often used to promote fake crypto exchanges.

“AI solutions are enabling fraudsters to overcome language barriers, reach more people, and cause more damage.”

A growing challenge for digital platforms

Han’s loss highlights the broader challenge facing major digital platforms like YouTube, which are under mounting pressure to improve account security and deepfake detection amid the rapid rise of AI-driven scams.

As regulators and tech firms scramble to contain the spread of synthetic media, Han’s situation serves as a stark reminder of how easily trusted online identities can be weaponized — and how devastating the consequences can be for creators.

For now, Han says she remains hopeful her channel — and her connection to nearly a million fans — will be restored. “Promoting crypto was never my intention,” she wrote. “I just want to return to sharing the content I love, safely.”