The resurfacing of videos related to BIGBANG’s Seungri and the infamous chatroom scandal involving the singer Jung Joon Young has reignited public outrage.
On the 19th, BBC released a documentary titled “Burning Sun: The Women Who Exposed K-pop’s Secret Chatrooms.” The documentary features interviews with journalists who covered the illegal filming by singer Jung Joon Young and victims of sexual assault. Journalist Kang Kyung Yoon, who reported on the Burning Sun scandal, began by recalling, “I was in shock. Should I begin with the police collusion? The sexual assaults? Or the illegal filming? I didn’t know where to start.”
The documentary includes messages exchanged by members of Jung Joon Young’s chatroom from March 2016, and footage showing Seungri violently grabbing a woman’s wrist. It also shows Jung Joon Young putting his hand into a woman’s intimate area, looking straight at the camera.
The documentary also revealed that the late Goo Hara helped expose the chatroom scandal by contacting a journalist and sharing evidence implicating Choi Jong Hoon in collusion with the police. Journalist Kang looked back on the day she got the call from the late singer and told her, “I am also a victim of revenge porn,” adding a heartbreaking layer to her involvement.
While previous reports on the Burning Sun scandal and Jung Joon Young’s chatroom case existed, this documentary provides detailed accounts and testimonies, vividly portraying the horrifying acts committed. The interviews with journalists and industry insiders, along with related videos, highlight the gravity of these crimes.
Furthermore, the documentary revealed that Jung Joon Young’s ex-girlfriend, who initially exposed his illegal filming, was pressured by KBS. At the time, the singer was a regular on KBS’s variety show 2 Days & 1 Night Season 3. The journalist who first reported Jung Joon Young’s illegal filming charges revealed the ex-girlfriend received a call from KBS’s legal associate, warning her that if the evidence was insufficient, she could be severely punished for false accusations. This led A to withdraw her complaint against Jung, further angering netizens over the public broadcaster’s conduct.
The documentary, available on YouTube, has drawn numerous comments from international viewers expressing anger and disappointment over the dark side of K-pop.
Domestic netizens reacted strongly, saying, “This is just disgusting,” “One of the guys in the chatroom is acting in a drama now?” “They are absolute trash,” and “Every detail is revolting. It makes me sick.” They also questioned why such detailed coverage wasn’t available in South Korea, believing that revealing these details to the public could help raise awareness about these crimes.
Meanwhile, Seungri retired from the entertainment industry on March 11th, 2019, and enlisted in the military to avoid prosecution. He was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison but was released on February 11th, 2023, after being transferred to civilian employment during his military service. After his discharge, Seungri has since been seen partying in Southeast Asia. Jung Joon Young was sentenced to five years in prison and was released on March 19th, 2023.
>> Jung Joon Young’s Ex-Girlfriend Explains Why She Dropped Hidden Camera Charges Against Him
All of the men who participated in this sexual abuse should have been punished, beyond a slap on the hand. They owe their victims a direct apology and pay for gthe victim’s mental healthcare required to recover from the trauma.