MANILA (ANN/PDI) – A new documentary by the British Broadcasting Corporation has put the spotlight on a scandal within the Korean entertainment industry that erupted in 2019, involving several popular K-pop idols such as Seungri from Big Bang.
Titled “Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-Pop Chat Groups,” the BBC film explored the uncovering of secret chat groups by two Korean journalists, detailing alleged sexual predation, including prostitution, sexual assault, distribution of illicit photos or videos, and drug dealing, often in collusion with members of the police force. The documentary, released on May 19, took its name from Seungri’s Burning Sun Club, where the alleged crimes took place.
The club, now in ruins following a massive fire in August 2023, was a site of countless unspeakable acts against women. The Burning Sun scandal, involving sexual bribery, rape, and prostitution, exacerbated South Korea’s ongoing spycam plague, known as “molka,” which involves non-consensual sex videos of women distributed for profit.
Besides Seungri, other individuals implicated in the scandal include Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon from FT Island, all part of a secret chat room where illicit videos were shared and circulated. Over the years, Korean media have reported the involvement of more perpetrators, with many still unidentified to this day.
