What was South Korea's Burning Sun scandal involving K-pop celebrities
While the South Korean industry is hailed globally for its music and dramas, it also makes headlines repeatedly for horrifying reasons. One such incident that rocked the Korean entertainment world was the Burning Sun scandal, which emerged in 2019 and dealt with sexual assault, sex chatrooms, and sharing of illegal videos. Yong Jun-hyung's dating reports have once again brought the issue to the fore.
This is how it all began
The scandal first came to light when a man named Kim Sang-kyo complained that he had been assaulted at the Burning Sun nightclub, frequented by celebrities and the rich. Per Kim, he was trying to save a woman from being sexually harassed when he was assaulted. As police opened an investigation, a pandora's box opened, detailing claims of harrowing interconnected crimes, mostly sex obscenities.
Main perpetrators: Seungri
Seungri—one of the club's creative directors/shareholders and a former member of the band BigBang—was reportedly one of the first perpetrators to be caught and was charged with sexual bribery. He was reportedly a member of illegal chatrooms where sexual videos were exchanged and participants rated women they got intimate with. Sentenced to a three-year term in prison, he was eventually released in February 2023.
Multiple charges cropped up during the probe following Seungi's arrest
While the police investigated the chatrooms and its participants, several other accusations emerged, including forced prostitution, embezzlement, spy cameras, usage of drugs, specifically date rape drugs, and illegal money transactions. As more details were unearthed, South Korean women took to the streets to protest against the objectification and harassment of women, eventually prompting President Moon Jae-in to order a thorough investigation into the matter.
Jung Joon-young was one of the big names involved
The police investigation subsequently revealed that singer-songwriter, radio DJ, host, actor, and television personality Jung Joon-young was another key perpetrator and orchestrated a large part of the scandal. He filmed his sexual experiences with about 10 women and subsequently shared those videos in chat groups. Jung admitted to the crimes and is currently lodged in prison; his release date is in 2025.
Disgraced Choi Jong-hoon admitted to heinous crimes
Real Life Men and Women star and ex-FT Island member Choi Jong-hoon is another top artist who was found guilty of participating in these crimes. In 2019, Choi admitted that he shared hidden camera photos without consent and also filmed illegal footage. He was accused of bribing the police for covering up his crimes and partaking in two gang rapes, too.
This is how Yong was involved in the case
Rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and former member of the band Highlight, Yong Jun-hyung was charged with being a member of the aforementioned chat rooms. During the investigation, he accepted watching a video shared by Jung, and subsequently, after the raging controversy, he quit Highlight. Currently, he is in the news for his alleged relationship with Bubble Pop! singer HyunA.
A few Korean shows were inspired by the scandal
A couple of Korean dramas have used the Burning Sun scandal to provide gravitas to their storylines. The Fiery Priest (available on MX Player and Netflix) deals with a priest's death and corrupt officers in the law, and Big Issue is about a photographer whose job involves chasing high-profile celebrity scandals. Another similar show is Doctor Prisoner which deals with a disgraced doctor.
