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Burning Sun: The BBC Eye Documentary on the Women Who Exposed Secret K-pop Chat Groups

“Burning Sun,” a documentary by the BBC World Service’s renowned investigations team, BBC Eye, tells the harrowing story of two courageous female Korean journalists, Park Hyo-sil and Kang Kyung-yoon. These journalists took on the daunting task of exposing sex scandals involving prominent K-pop stars, facing severe personal repercussions for their work.

The Beginning: Park Hyo-sil’s Investigation

In September 2016, Park Hyo-sil reported on accusations made by a girlfriend of Jung Joon-young, a popular K-pop singer-songwriter and TV star. She accused Jung of secretly recording sexual encounters. When the girlfriend withdrew her accusations, public sentiment shifted against her, casting Jung as the victim and vilifying the media, including Park.

Park endured a relentless barrage of online abuse, threatening phone calls, and obscene emails. This period took a heavy toll on her, leading to two miscarriages and ongoing childlessness. Meanwhile, Jung’s career thrived with new music releases and a European tour.

Kang Kyung-yoon Uncovers More Evidence

In 2019, new allegations against Jung emerged. During the initial 2016 investigation, Jung had left his phone with a forensics company. Three years later, an anonymous informant leaked its contents to Kang Kyung-yoon, an entertainment reporter with SBS, Korea’s largest broadcaster.

Kang discovered disturbing data on Jung’s phone, including sexually explicit videos and images of unconscious women, implicating Jung and other male K-pop stars. Among the accused was Choi Jong-hoon, lead guitarist of FT Island. The messages also hinted at a police cover-up, suggesting protection from a senior police contact.

The Fallout and Legal Battles

The BBC Eye documentary details the unraveling of the celebrities’ seemingly untouchable status and Kang’s pivotal role in exposing the chat group members’ actions. The exposure led to significant court cases against the former superstars, encouraging other victims to come forward despite the risk of public backlash.

The Personal Cost and Hope for Change

Both journalists faced severe trolling and threats throughout their investigations and subsequent legal proceedings. Despite the personal cost, Kang remains hopeful that their work will serve as a warning about the corruption of sex and power in the K-pop industry. She likens their efforts to throwing a pebble into a vast pond, hoping that the ripples will persist in public memory and prompt earlier interventions in the future.

The documentary “Burning Sun” highlights the bravery of these women and the crucial role of journalism in uncovering and challenging abuse of power in the entertainment industry.