4 Years Later: Where All The K-Pop Idols Involved In The “Burning Sun Scandal” Are Now
Content Warning
On November 24, 2018, a man named Kim Sang Kyo was reportedly assaulted at the Burning Sun, a Gangnam club owned by ex-BIGBANG‘s Seungri, after he stepped in to help a woman who was being sexually harassed. Following this altercation was a series of investigations into Burning Sun and Seungri that unveiled a web of interconnected crimes, including gambling, drug distribution, and sexual assault.
One of the most shocking portions of the investigation unveiled the existence of group chats where secretly taken illegal sex videos were shared by its members, who included celebrities like Seungri, Jung Joon Young, Yong Junhyun, and Choi Jonghoon. Here is an update on where the idols involved in the scandal are now.
1. Jung Joon Young
Jung Joon Young owned the main chatroom where illegally taken sex videos were shared. The scandal was discovered when Jung Joon Young took his phone in for repair, and the chat was discovered.
Jung Joon Young was initially sentenced to six years in prison for gang sexual assault and for taking and sharing illegally taken sex videos. However, his sentence was reduced to five years after he submitted documents expressing his regret. His release date is currently in late 2025.
2. Choi Jonghoon
Former member of FTISLAND Choi Jonghoon was initially sentenced to five years in prison after he was charged for participating in two different gang rapes, though his sentence was reduced to two years and six months after being able to come to a settlement with his victims.
After serving his sentence, the former idol was released in November 2021. In January 2022, news agency The Fact shared footage of Choi attending a church service with his mother in an encounter that quickly turned physical. Choi answered no questions about making a return to the entertainment industry.
3. Seungri
Seungri was an active participant in Jung Joon Young’s chat rooms, where illegal sex videos were shared and where the participants would “rate” the women they had sex with. He was only investigated for his participation in the chat room and reportedly did not share more than one photo he found online.
Seungri was initially sentenced to three years for nine other charges, including prostitution, prostitution mediation, embezzlement, violating food safety laws, habitual gambling, and violating the foreign exchange law. He was released on February 9 after 18 months, much to the surprise of netizens.
4. Yong Junhyung
Former member of HIGHLIGHT, Yong Junhyung was affiliated with the scandal after he admitted to viewing an illegal video that Jung Joon Young shared with him. Junhyung admitted to speaking “inappropriately” but denied sending any illegal content himself.
After leaving HIGHLIGHT in 2019, Junhyung remained out of the spotlight until November 2022, when he released a new album, Loner.
5. Lee Jonghyun
Former CNBLUE member Lee Jonghyun participated in talking about the women he and Jung Joon Young slept with, even asking the other women. After initially denying his involvement, Jonghyun admitted to viewing the illegally filmed videos.
Lee Jonghyun departed from CNBLUE and has since been discharged from his mandatory enlistment. Lee Jonghyun has since stayed out of the spotlight, deleting his social media.
6. Roy Kim
Roy Kim was accused of sharing and viewing illegal sex cams, but was found not to be involved in the group chats that did.
After his name was cleared, Roy Kim returned to music in 2020 before he enlisted in the Marines for his mandatory military service. In October 2022, he released his latest album ,and.
7. Eddy Kim
Eddy Kim was booked for “circulating obscene material” in relation to Jung Joon Young’s group chat before his indictment was suspended by the prosecution. It was revealed that he shared a single photo from the internet in a different group chat.
After this scandal, Eddy Kim remained quiet for nearly two years before updating his social media, where he now shares sporadic updates.
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