A new BBC documentary has sparked outrage by revealing shocking new details about the Burning Sun scandal. The documentary exposes details of the KakaoTalk group chat found on Seungri‘s phone, where Jung Joon Young and others allegedly distributed illegally filmed videos of sexual activities. These videos depicted the rape of unconscious women using sleeping pills and other drugs or other sexually disturbing videos filmed without the women’s consent.
So, who are the celebrities involved in Jung Joon Young’s group chat? Let’s take a look at the celebrities identified as members of the chat room, including those who have been legally punished and those who have been cleared of charges.
Confirmed Members of the KakaoTalk Group Chat:
Seungri: Sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison
BIGBANG’s former member Seungri faced a steep fall from grace after being indicted on charges of arranging prostitution for foreign investors and participating in overseas gambling totaling around 2 billion won ($1.5 million). In the first trial, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison and a fine of 1.16 billion won ($851,000). However, in the January 2022 appeal, the court reduced his sentence to 1 year and 6 months in prison. Seungri served his time at the Yeoju correctional facility and was released on February 9th, 2023. Now, he is looking to expand his business ventures, according to journalist Kang Kyung Yoon on a May 22nd SBS radio show.
Jung Joon Young: Sentenced to 5 years in prison
Jung Joon Young was indicted on charges of gang rape with members of his KakaoTalk chat group. He initially received a 6-year prison sentence in the first trial, which was later reduced to 5 years. The court said they took into account whether he had reached settlements with the victims when determining his sentence. Following the Supreme Court’s finalization of the sentence, Jung Joon Young drew criticism by reportedly expressing resentment towards the journalist who first reported on the chatroom. Currently released from prison, he is preparing to emigrate out of South Korea and making plans to return to the music industry as a music producer.
Choi Jong Hoon: Sentenced to 2 Years and 6 Months in Prison
Like Jung Joon Young, Choi Jong Hoon faced charges of gang rape with members of the chatroom and was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison. The court acknowledged Choi’s agreement with the victims as a mitigating factor in sentencing but stated that his failure to admit the charges was also taken into account. Nevertheless, the court granted the maximum reduction possible on appeal. Later, it was revealed that he submitted evidence implicating corrupt police involvement in the Burning Sun scandal, reportedly at the persuasion of Goo Hara. This year, he opened a paid fan community in Japan, sparking controversy.
Kwon Hyuk Joon, brother of Girls’ Generation’s Kwon Yuri: Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison
Kwon Hyuk Joon, known as the brother of Girls’ Generation member Kwon Yuri, shocked the public when prosecutors requested a 10-year sentence for him. He was arrested and indicted on charges of gang raping an intoxicated woman in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province in January 2016, and in Daegu in March 2016. He also faced charges of illegally distributing videos of himself having sex with multiple women 11 times in a KakaoTalk chatroom in 2015. Analysts suggest that Kwon’s high sentence was significantly influenced by his prior drug use in 2006.
Several others associated with the club also faced legal consequences. Burning Sun employee Kim was sentenced to 5 years in prison, businessman Park received an 8-month prison sentence with a 2-year probation, and YG employee Heo received an 8-month prison sentence with a 2-year probation. Interestingly, despite being identified as members of the infamous chatroom, Yong Jun Hyung and Lee Jong Hyun avoided prison time. Yoo In Seok, CEO of Yuri Holdings and husband of actress Park Han Byul, was also entangled in the scandal. Known as Seungri’s business partner at Burning Sun, he received a sentence of 1 year and 8 months in prison with a 3-year probation. The charges against him included procuring prostitution and embezzlement.
Celebrities Cleared of Involvement in the Burning Sun Scandal:
Roy Kim
Roy Kim initially faced suspicion of being part of Jung Joon-young’s infamous chatroom. However, police investigations in November 2019 revealed he wasn’t a member of that specific group. While police recommended his indictment, the prosecution ultimately decided against pressing charges in February 2020. A reporter on Rumor Has It revealed that the chatroom Roy Kim was in with Jung Joon Young wasn’t the problematic one, but a harmless group who loves catching fish.
Eddy Kim
Eddy Kim was also believed to be part of Jung Joon Young’s chatroom. However, investigations confirmed that he was also part of the fishing chatroom with Roy Kim. Similar to Roy Kim, he was not charged.
Super Junior’s Kang In, Lee Chul Woo and Jeong Jinwoon
All three stars, Kang In, Lee Chul Woo and Jeong Jinwoon, were linked to the scandal but were eventually cleared of involvement. Despite being cleared in the Burning Sun case, Kang In had a history of controversies, including drunk driving and assault. These issues eventually led to his departure from Super Junior in 2019.
>> Burning Sun Scandal Revisited: Lee Chul Woo Denies Involvement, Hyuna Faces Backlash
