Korean American ‘Overwatch’ actor files defamation lawsuit against WestJet

WestJet is facing a defamation lawsuit from Korean American actor Charlet Chung over a confrontation she recorded last year aboard a flight from Los Angeles to Winnipeg. The October 2024 incident resurfaced after Chung filed suit seeking as-yet-undisclosed compensation and damages in California this month. The dispute began when a passenger behind her “repeatedly and forcefully” kicked her seat and told her, “Oh, chill out, fuck off.”

Chung, known for her roles in “Rugrats,” “Carmen Sandiego” and as D.Va in “Overwatch 2,” posted a video of the exchange on TikTok shortly after landing. Her recording captures her asking, “Excuse me, did you just tell me to fuck off?” following the passenger’s remarks. The flight attendant approached and asked her to stop filming, which she alleges did not address the initial harassment. She claims she was also moved to another seat and left feeling distressed for the remainder of the flight. When the news first broke out, Chung told Nextshark, “I do not wish ill will on anyone. One of my hopes in making my experience public was that I wanted those involved to know the impact of their actions.”

In a Dec. 5 public statement announcing her lawsuit, Chung wrote that she “was harassed and berated by a white male passenger sitting behind me on that flight” and that the flight attendant “sided with the white male passenger without inquiry, assumed I was the instigator, and treated me with condescension and threats.” She added that the attendant “made me leave my seat and then proceeded to bully, embarrass, intimidate, and demean me throughout the flight.”

Chung also said the male passenger later sent her an apology letter, noting that he expressed “sincere regret for his inappropriate behavior” and acknowledged “how terribly the WestJet flight attendant treated me.” She added that she wished him and his family “no ill will.”

Chung argues that WestJet mishandled its internal review of what happened on board. The lawsuit claims the airline never contacted her for her account, relying instead on crew statements and a report from the male passenger. She alleges this omission created an investigation that was “one sided and wholly unreliable,” especially given that her video captured key moments of the confrontation.

After completing the internal review, WestJet announced in January that its investigation concluded that Chung’s “allegations of harassment and discrimination” were “unfounded.” The airline added that it did not instruct her to avoid speaking publicly about the matter. Chung argues this public characterization damaged her reputation by suggesting she made baseless claims that were inconsistent with the evidence she documented.

The lawsuit also invokes the Montreal Convention, the international treaty that outlines airline liability for injuries or harm that occur during a flight. Chung argues that the airline’s response to the dispute and the conditions she experienced after being moved from her seat meet the treaty’s criteria for actionable harm. While the defamation claim concerns reputational damage linked to WestJet’s public statement, the Montreal Convention claim focuses on the events inside the cabin.