'Burning Sun' documentary: BBC rectifies error following KBS's legal threat
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has issued an apology to the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) for inaccuracies in its now-viral documentary Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-pop Chat Groups. The BBC admitted to falsely claiming that a KBS lawyer had pressured a victim of the Burning Sun scandal perpetrator-South Korean singer Jung Joon-young to drop charges. This correction was communicated by the BBC to KBS on Wednesday, the latter revealed on Thursday morning.
The error has been removed from the documentary, too
KBS released an official statement on May 22, stating that the BBC acknowledged its mistake and issued a formal apology. The British network confirmed that the legal advice received by Jung's ex-girlfriend was not from a KBS lawyer, but from independent counsel she sought herself. The ex-girlfriend had filed a complaint against Jung for filming their intimate moments sans her knowledge. The incorrect content has since been removed from the documentary and these corrections have been publicized on BBC's platforms.
BBC attributed error to oversight; not reporter's fault
KBS also noted that the BBC attributed this error to their own oversight and not to the fault of the interviewed reporter, Park Hyo-sil. The documentary, which aired on May 19 and quickly became a hot topic, incorrectly alleged that a KBS lawyer had pressured Jung's ex-girlfriend during her 2016 lawsuit against him for illegal filming. Following this, KBS expressed strong disapproval and announced its intention to seek a correction and potential legal action.
What was Jung's role in the scandal?
Former singer and TV personality, Jung was one of the main culprits in the infamous 2019 sex scandal. He filmed sexual experiences with about 10 women and subsequently shared those videos in chat groups with male friends. Jung admitted to the crimes and was given five years in prison. However, he was released in March. A recent report claims the disgraced celebrity is planning a comeback as a music producer now.
