On March 12, Kang Kyung Yoon, the reporter who released the initial reports on Kakaotalk chatrooms including Seungri and Jung Joon Young, participated in an interview to explain more in detail about the ongoing controversy.
Kang Kyung Yoon started the interview by explaining the steps she has taken so far. The reporter said, “I brought up the allegations of Seungri lobbying to investors by offering sexual favors as bribes last month. Since then, I reported on how the original text messages [that contained the evidence] were procured by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and a chatroom including Seungri and other male celebrities that involved the sharing of hidden camera videos and photos.”
She continued, “I decided to report on the issue of [Seungri] providing sexual escort services when I first found out about an extravagant party in 2015 that is now known as the ‘Seung-tsby (Seungri + Gatsby) Party.’ This party, where [Seungri] invited and entertained various foreign investors, happened right before Seungri founded an establishment called Yuri Holdings in 2016.”
“I realized that the party was used as a tool for advancing [Seungri’s] business,” continued Kang Kyung Yoon. “In addition, there were some parts about the party that I was able to raise questions about [Seungri] ordering sexual escort services in the Kakaotalk chatroom.”
Kang Kyung Yoon also addressed another group chatroom, in which they found several instances of the participants sharing secretly taken videos of sexual activity with women. The reporter explained, “I started receiving tips about [the chatroom] around two years ago. There was also a testimony from a female celebrity who said she randomly witnessed the chatroom.”
“However,” she continued, “It was only recently that I got to witness the chatroom myself through a source. After looking through the chatroom, I was able to confirm all the research from before.”
Kang Kyung Yoon said that as a woman, she felt the need to report and research into the matter. The reporter stated, “The fact that these people invited young female university students in their 20s and rookie celebrities to drink with them, only to use them to have one-night stands and to secretly film them, is shocking to me.”
The reporter also revealed that she got to meet the victims of the hidden camera videos and photos. Kang Kyung Yoon said, “They were surprisingly very young women in their 20s. Most of all, I was shocked to see that the majority were not even aware that they were filmed, and that the videos were being shared in a group chatroom including people they have never even met before. They told me that they were greatly shocked, afraid, unsure of what to do, and asked me to help them.”
According to Kang Kyung Yoon, the victims are contemplating whether to take legal action or to stay silent and protect their identities. The reporter added, “While they are extremely enraged and wanting to take strong legal action, they also worried that they would have to live with a scarlet letter labelling them as victims of hidden camera videos.
“I found it the most shocking that these men weren’t filming spontaneously or with the other party’s consent, but they were doing it as part of a game,” continued Kang Kyung Yoon. “For example, if they saw a rookie female celebrity on television or from each other’s agencies, they would say things like, ‘She is very pretty, you should bring her out to drink with us.'”
Kang Kyung Yoon also mentioned that she is currently receiving many complaints from Seungri’s fans. She said, “I understand that [fans] are sending me emails with complaints because they cherish and love Seungri. However, I also acknowledge that this is an issue that is present in this society that we live in. The victims are still here, and so is their pain from this incident. I hope that [fans] also consider that part of the situation too.”
Kang Kyung Yoon concluded by revealing her plans for further reports. The reporter began, “Many people have the wrong idea that these reports are evading the main issue of the club Burning Sun. The core issue of the controversy with Burning Sun includes serious matters such as drugs, hidden camera, connections to the police, and others. Of course, I believe that we need to continue our research into this.”
The reporter added, “On top of that, I believe that the incident of male celebrities secretly filming women is a huge problem that has resulted from the fact that many women are treated as sexual tools and some people’s distorted perception of sex that came from the sexualization of women, as well as corrupted use of power in the entertainment industry.”
Kang Kyung Yoon concluded, “Nowadays, many Hallyu celebrities are gaining more power, fame, and popularity. As a result, there are also those who abuse the things they are given as celebrities. I think that we came to forgive and neglect on surveillance and criticism just because they are Hallyu stars.”
Watch the interview with reporter Kang Kyung Yoon below:
Following the revelation of their chatrooms, Seungri was booked on charges of providing sexual escort services to business investors, and Jung Joon Young on spreading hidden camera footage. They are also banned from leaving the country, as they will be investigated by the police as suspects on March 14.
