April 15: Police clarified that Seungri and Yuris Yoo had several meals and golf meetings with police Superintendent Yoon. No one's buying this explanation. My bleeding stopped around 10:00AM, but I was incarcerated until the police devised another story, manipulated the CCTV, and concealed everything. According to the report, the members kicked out Mr. A from their chatroom as soon as his incident involving marijuana was reported on the news. Seungris music in Big Bang was rooted in hip-hop, buffed to a glossy electronic sheen. In it, he admitted to all that he had been accused of. The roiling scandal has been driven by social media, which helps expose wrongdoing but also provides K-pop fans with new distractions. Among the victims filmed illegally were some women who were aspiring to be celebrities. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. He admitted to all charges earlier in the day, and he could receive a sentence of up to seven years and six months. After pushing me down, he kicked me in the face three times with his shoes. When a VIP is successful in the rape of a woman, they are more likely to come back to the club. The Yeoksam Police Station was also searched for evidence. While Investor B was a woman, her acquaintances were apparently men. I will not fight (against the charges) and will follow the verdict of the court. But in recent months a scandal dogging the Burning Sun nightclub in Seoul, which Seungri sat on the . News reporters who were stationed outside of YG Entertainment saw two 2t trucks enter YG Entertainments parking lot. Seungri again denied allegations about soliciting prostitutes in 2015, and claims that the women mentioned in those chat logs werent prostitutes. On March 21, at 8:45 pm KST, Jung Joon Young was arrested on charges for filming illegal hidden cameras and distributing them. The moment reflects larger discontentment in South Korean culture at large, in which women are victimized in corporate, social and familial life. YG Entertainment the Big 3 K-pop company where Seungri was signed released a statement claiming the chatroom messages were fabricated. SBS funEs Kang Kyung-yoon, who reported the story, responded that there would be no reason for her to fabricate the texts. Affiliates also revealed, however, that Seungri participated in the management of the club even though he was not the actual owner of the business. Koreaboo. On the morning of March 28, theSeoul Metropolitan Police Agencyheld a briefing and stated thatSeungris solicitation charges are in progress with an additional charge on illegal photo distribution. As soon as I looked, he threw a punch in my direction. Two more women from the Burning Sun later made similar sexual harassment claims against him. The man, an acquaintance of Seungri and Burning Suns CEO, was a VIP customer who reportedly spent $7,000-$9,000 USD on tables each visit. March 22: Yang Min Suk retained his position as CEO of YG Entertainment after facing a no-confidence vote among shareholders. The policemen tripped him, kicked his face, and caused his face to collide with the door, which ultimately made his nose and mouth to be bleed openly. Seungri and Yoo are suspected of having embezzled around 2 billion won in total through their business partnership (around $1.71 million USD). It was sent for further investigation 20 days after being inspected for data, as proof of illegal hidden cams and police corruption. Her selfie with Seungri began to circulate online, prompting the singer to claim he thought he was posing for a photo with a fan. That same day, MBCs Newsdesk reportedthat singer Eddy Kim was one of the previously unidentified participants in the chatroom. On March 11 of the same year, Mr. Park shared details of how he drugged a woman with sleeping pills before having sexual relations with her. A scandal that began with allegations that some of South Koreas biggest male K-pop stars had drugged and raped women(The K-Pop sex and drugs scandal sweeping South Korea) and shared video of the acts has reignited perceived injustices in two older cases, highlighting abuses of power among the countrys elite. I avoided the punch, held onto both of the mans arms, and called a bodyguard for help. Meanwhile, Jeongs agency was reportedly unable to respondon behalf of the star as he is currently fulfilling his mandatory service in South Koreas military. Its blood because you people assaulted me.. 31 Jan YGE tries to distance itself from the Burning Sun scandal and claims Seungri's decision to resign from Burning Sun is in nooooo way related to the controversy but instead because he will be enlisting soon and won't be able to properly contribute as a board member. Ive committed unforgivable crimes. He went on to explain that he often takes photos with fans who ask for them. Since he had directly filmed one of the videos and he has additionally been charged with violation of the Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence. I was in the club at the time, and she came up to me and asked if she could take a picture with me, so I took one with her. KBS1s KBS News 9 also reported that he received prostitutes from Yuri Holdings Yoo In Suk. The police obtained statements from people involved in the allegations, including several women allegedly hired to perform sexual acts. In late February, a conversation that occurred in a chatroom between Seungri,singer C,President YooofYoori HoldingsandEmployee Kimcame to light. South Korean police confirmed that they were seeking aid from Chinese authorities regarding the alleged illegal activities of a Taiwanese businesswoman in relation to Burning Sun and the ongoing investigation. On November 24, 2018, a man named Kim Sang Kyo was reportedly assaulted at the Burning Sun, a Gangnam club owned by BIGBANG's Seungri, after he stepped in to help a woman who was being sexually harassed. On March 11, Seungri announced his retirement on Instagram. The tragic case of actress Jang Ja-yeon, who said she had been forced into sex by her agency, has also been reviewed. The conversation took place in 2015. After Mr. Jang and the security guards went back into the club, Kim Sang Kyo called the police and reported the situation. Among the 14 people are several celebrities, including singers K and J, as well as model L. MBC reported that he wasone of 10 celebrities involved with Jung Joon Youngs chatrooms. The investigative team collected CCTV footage, body cam videos, and blackbox videos from the patrol car used to arrest Kim Sang Kyo during that night. Starting in March 2019, a new Golden Phone appeared. Rumors arose about Girls Generation Yuris older brother, Kwon Hyuk Joonafter news reports claimed one member of the chatroom was theolder brother to a famous girl group member. March 11: SBS funE reported two more singers were in the chatroom. The arrest came a month after an initial arrest warrant from the police was rejected by the Seoul Central District Court. On March 23, new chat logs showedSeungris connections to wealthy businessmen from all around Asia, and how he and some of these businessmen created a paper company calledBC Holdings. While the full scope is still emerging, Burning Sun already appears to be K-pops Altamont: the moment when a subcultures aura of innocence was shattered. Reporter Oh Hyuk Jin was one of the first to break the news regarding all of the corruption and illegal activities that happened around Burning Sun. Therefore, we have decided to terminate our contract with Jung Joon Young, who signed with our subsidiary Label M back in January 2019. Choi Jonghoon: The chrome hearts (handcuffs) really hurt. FNC Entertainment denied the involvement of CNBLUEs Lee Jong Hyun and FTISLANDs Choi Jonghoon. He also admitted to viewing a video that Jung Joon Young had illegally filmed. As a result, he will halt all individual activities as well as activities as a member of FTISLAND until all investigations are complete. Kim Sang Kyo later sent a petition toThe Blue House, where he told his side of the story again in detail. Nicknamed Koreas Great Gatsby, he flaunted an extravagant lifestyle. On March 15, MBNrevealed the identities of all 8 members of the original hidden camera chatroom. Lin, Staff Writer Published : Mar 18, 2019 8,925 Views. The police stated that they received testimonies from 4-5 concerning this. The broadcaster dug up documents that suggest he had a big stake in the clubs founding and invested 225 million won (or $198,600) in it. It is suspected that Seungri was providing services to Mr. A in December 2015 in hopes of securing his investment in BC Holdings, which was established just 3 months later, in March 2016. increased calls to reinvestigate sexual abuse cases. As a result, new phones were allegedly submitted by Choi Jonghoon, Seungri, and Jung Joon Young for police investigations. In 2018, the band BTS scored two chart-topping albums in the U.S. As soon as I asked, What trouble could I cause in this state?, they said, I told you to shut the f*ck up. He also revealed that he cant stop digging farther into the scandal because its more f*cked up and dirtier than [he] had imagined., A post shared by +I (@arkham_er) on Mar 3, 2019 at 8:03am PST. According to both employees, theclub did not conduct any bag searches on the VIP customers and it was impossible to know what was going on inside the rooms. Burning Sun is K-pop's biggest scandal yet involving notable stars such as Seungri, Jung Joonyoung, and Choi Jonghoon. In response to this report, a police informant stated, The fact that hes a former high-ranking prosecutor wont affect the investigation. However, there is concern that he could use his prior connections to his advantage if the case happened to be passed on to the prosecution. We never asked for a lighter punishment. A Dispatch article showed that Jung Joon-young was allegedly involved in foreign prostitution rings. In the midst of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agencys investigation, it was reported that singer Jung Joon Young was one of the celebrities involved who directly shared hidden footage of women in the chatroom. Prior to this, the earliest incident was believed to have taken place in 2015. When they arrived at the police station,Kim Sang Kyo was beaten again outside of the building. There are chats inside the KakaoTalk chatroom that made me suspicious about a possible cohesion with the police, so I reported it to the Civil Rights Commission rather than the police. Between April 9 and April 12, South Koreas three main broadcast channels revealed they had issued guidelines regarding appearances of Seungri, Jung, and Choi: MBCissued a ban of Jung following his arrest while temporarily restricting appearances by the others as their cases develop, while KBSissued restrictions on appearances by Jung, Seungri, and Choi. Seungri and his lawyer said the chat logs had been misinterpretted. That same day, his management agency C-jeS terminated its contract with the K-pop star and actor. Choi Jonghoon, who has aroused criticism due to his involvement in recent scandals, has decided to depart from FTISLAND as of today. Ji was employed by YG Entertainment. FNC Entertainment announced that Choi Jonghoon left FTISLAND and retired from the entertainment industry. In the statement, he discusses Kim Sang Kyos assault video, stating that he was not at the club when it occurred. Its likely no coincidence that the Burning Sun allegations echo a larger problem with furtive spy-cam porn in South Korea. Both Seungri and Yoo have been booked on multiple charges but arrest warrants have not yet been issued. April 7: Yonhap News TV confirmedthat Seungris role in Burning Sun was larger than was previously thought to be, refuting his prior claims posted to Instagram of his relative small role in the clubs management. Theres no reason for us to fabricate or edit the messages that were released. Singer L, who has been mentioned often, was part of the Joon Young-Fam chatrooms, but singer C was only part of Seungri-Fam chatrooms. March 7th, 2019. Oct. 6, 2016: Jung Joon-young was acquitted in the hidden camera case after a police investigation. After Seungri requested to postpone his military enlistment, Koreas Military Manpower Administration announced plans to amend the law to prevent people from enlisting to escape from reality.. Seungri posted a letter of apology on Instagram for the Burning Sun controversies. She later fell over while foaming at the mouth. In late March,SBSrevealed a photo that top actorJi Chang Wookhad allegedly taken withMadam Lin andDJ Raiden. He wrote that he was extremely shocked when he found out about the assault, and hesaid, violence is not justifiable. The original witness who reported the chatroom stated that they decided to report the chats to the Civil Rights Commission, rather than the police, because the chats contained possible evidence of corrupt policemen working with the perpetrators. As a reflex, I grabbed onto the mans arm and looked at the man (Burning Suns manager). It must be revealed through investigations. K-pop fans are both shocked and dismayed, but I think for many it is almost cathartic since the visage of K-pop, and Koreas entertainment industry in general, is so tightly based on a sense of propriety and clean-cut personas, said Tamar Herman, founder of the K-pop site KultScene and a journalist who covers K-pop for Billboard. Footage from MBCs Radio Star in 2016 featuring Zico talking about Jung Joon Youngs golden phone gave rise to suspicions that Zico had also been involved in the chatrooms. Numerous sides to Kim Sang Kyos Burning Sun assault story put everyone in a state of confusion, but the truth was finally made publicduring the first week of March. A press conference held by the Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency confirmed that a chatroom member referenced a police connection. She soon started foaming in the mouth and collapsed. The marijuana use allegedly happened in the VIP area next to the VIP entrance that is reserved for special guests. I was shocked so I tried to get him away from me. Another employee spoke up about a sexual assault video that was allegedly taken inside the VIP restroom. At the time that this report was made, the police were still attempting to secure the original KakaoTalk chatroom logs, as they were working off an Excel copy. Reports state that the police said there were no plans to question the trio. In February,32 investigators brought out 4 boxes of potential evidence from the club. As a member who was not as well-known, he said he did not notify the agency out of fear and hoped for the incident to pass by quietly and is deeply regretting and reflecting upon his wrong judgement. According to SBS FunE, the chatroom holds tens of thousands of messages and goes back as far back as December 2015, when Seungri allegedly attempted to offer women as sexual entertainment. Seungri has also been suspected of embezzling funds from Burning Sun. These 8 members would reportedly share everything with each other, from their personal lives to women. Kim Sang Kyos mother witnessed this beating and tried to stop it by filming the police brutality. April 4: Roy Kim was bookedby the Seoul Metropolitan police and charged with sharing obscene photos. Seungri has for years maintained the squeaky-clean image required of South Korean entertainers. On January 29,KBS News 7reported that Seungri resigned from his directorship of the Burning Sun the previous week. In an official statement, released on January 31, YG Entertainment CEOYang Hyun Suk, addressed Kim Sang Kyos assault and Seungris involvement in it by clarifying the timeline. As he tells it, he initially joined the club as a DJ, then was promoted to publicity director. The Burning Sun scandal, also known as Burning Sun gate, [1] [2] was a 2019 entertainment and sex scandal in Seoul, South Korea, which involved several celebrities, including Korean idols of popular K-pop groups, and police officials. Immediately, a mans arm reached out from the table and tried to pull the woman by grabbing her between her armpits and breasts. Police announcedplans to investigate Japanese investors who met with Seungri in 2016 on suspicion that they had sex with prostitutes organized by the former BIGBANG singer during that hotel stay in Seoul. 2023 Billboard Media, LLC. The woman, an apparent acquaintance of Jung since 2012, came forward with suspicions of sexual assault after being made aware of the chatrooms. All three had been on a television show with Jung in the past. SMPA booked17 women on prostitution-related charges that are reportedly tied to the allegations that Seungri mediated sexual services for Japanese investors. This was the 3rd assault from the police. It has seen K-pop become a multi-billion dollar business in its own right, as well as drawing consumers to Korean products and tourists to its shores. I have faithfully completed my investigation. Soon after, news broke that Seungris contract with YG Entertainment had also been canceled. According to the lawyer, CEO A had scammed Seungri out of 2 billion KRW ($1,756,319 USD) and Seungris messages were a result of his falling for CEO As malicious questions. This, however, has been disputed a songwriter under YG Entertainments sub-label, THE BLACK LABEL. This confirmed Lawyer Bang Jung Hyuns suspicions that a high-level officer was involved. The acquaintance was reportedly in charge of coordinating and managing the women suspected of prostitution at Seungris birthday in the Philippines. 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