Actress Song Hye-kyo has accused 41 internet users of defamation by spreading false rumors about her.

The 29-year-old actress filed the complaint on Feb. 16 with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, officials said Friday.

According to Song’s complaint, the netizens spread the rumor that she had made financial gains from a so-called “sponsor relationship” with a politician.

The accused are said to have posted the comments from September 2008 until December last year.

“The accused spread a groundless rumor through the internet that Song Hye-kyo was a “sponsor celebrity,” seriously damaging her reputation,” the actress’s agent said in a press release.

A “sponsor celebrity” refers to celebrities who receive financial benefits by having an intimate relationship with politicians or businesspeople.

“Taking legal measures became unavoidable as the damage caused by some netizens’ malicious defamation of character became too much to endure.”

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)