The BBC News Korea YouTube channel premiered a revealing documentary on May 19th, titled “Burning Sun: The Dark Side of K-Pop’s Chat Rooms”, produced by the esteemed BBC Eye investigative team.
The production follows the investigative efforts of journalists Park Hyo-sil and Kang Kyung-yoon as they delve into the sordid sex scandal involving high-profile K-pop celebrities.
The documentary exposes the hidden realities of seemingly untouchable K-pop stars and the pivotal role investigative journalism played in bringing the actions of the chat room’s participants to light.
Journalist Park Hyo-sil, who initiated coverage of Jung Joon-young’s illegal recording accusations in September 2016, disclosed that KBS’s legal counsel intimidated Jung Joon-young’s ex-girlfriend into retracting her complaint due to potential penalties for unfounded allegations.
Jung Joon-young circumvented police by submitting his phone to a private forensics firm instead of directly handing it to authorities. Park commented, “The police settled for the forensic company’s report rather than conducting their own examination of the phone, essentially performing a cursory investigation to close the case.”
The documentary reveals that, unknown to Jung Joon-young, a duplication of his phone’s data existed and was later disclosed.
Journalist Kang Kyung-yoon, who acquired KakaoTalk messages from 2015 to 2016 exchanged by the group’s members, noted, “Although the video from the 2016 female victim wasn’t there, myriad other videos of women filmed by Jung Joon-young surfaced, featuring some well-known individuals.“
Kang expressed, “The content of those KakaoTalk messages still sickens me. The severity of the situation was beyond my imagination.“
A disturbing video depicted Jung Joon-young encouraging a woman’s drinking while groping her, with singer Choi Jong-hoon beside him. Choi, egged on by an off-camera voice, expressed reluctance to partake further.
Kang Kyung-yoon implied Choi Jong-hoon’s high sexual drive compared to Jung Joon-young but with a more subservient role in the group, often following megastar Seungri’s lead.
The BBC recounted, “Superstar Seungri was the most high-profile member of the chat group, gaining fame in the K-Pop supergroup Big Bang and boasting a solo career as well. Likening himself to Korea’s Jay Gatsby, his lavish lifestyle was well-documented in polished promotional videos..”
The documentary’s release saw viewers voicing their disgust, calling into question the leniency of the sentences received by those involved.
Scheduled for a series broadcast on BBC News TV in June, the documentary is currently viewable in Korean on the BBC News Korea YouTube page.
FAQs
Q: What is the name of the documentary discussed in the article?
A: The documentary is called “Burning Sun: The Dark Side of K-Pop’s Chat Rooms”.
Q: Who are the main figures involved in the scandal exposed by the documentary?
A: The scandal involves several high-profile K-pop stars, including Jung Joon-young, Choi Jong-hoon, and notably the megastar Seungri from Big Bang.
Q: What was journalist Park Hyo-sil’s role in the investigation?
A: Journalist Park Hyo-sil reported on Jung Joon-young’s illegal recording accusations and highlighted the intimidation techniques used against the victim.
Q: How did law enforcement handle Jung Joon-young’s phone, which held key evidence?
A: Instead of the police investigating the phone, Jung Joon-young submitted it to a private forensics company and the police relied on the firm’s report to conclude the case.
Q: When will the documentary air on TV, and where can it currently be viewed?
A: The documentary is scheduled to air as a series starting in June on BBC News TV. It is currently available in Korean on the BBC News Korea YouTube channel.
Conclusion
The BBC documentary “Burning Sun: The Dark Side of K-Pop’s Chat Rooms” has peeled back the glamorous veneer of the K-pop industry to expose a disturbing reality of abuse and exploitation. Through the persistent work of journalists Park Hyo-sil and Kang Kyung-yoon, the relentless pursuit of truth brought to light the nefarious actions within exclusive celebrity chat groups. The revelations have sparked public outcry and raised serious questions about accountability, police procedure, and the influence of stardom on justice – issues which resonate far beyond the K-Pop world. As this documentary prepares to reach a broader audience on television, the conversation it triggers will likely influence the industry for years to come.