Jung Joon-Young’s Unlawful Filming Case Rekindles Controversy Regarding KBS Pressure On Victim

Jung Joon-young’s unlawful filming case rekindles controversy regarding KBS pressure on victim.

KBS, South Korea’s national public broadcaster, is responsible for producing news, entertainment, and dramas, but the illegal filming scandal involving former ‘1 Night 2 Days’ star Jung Joon-young has raised concerns again. The BBC documentary “Burning Sun: The Women Who Exposed K-Pop Stars’ Secret Chat Rooms,” which examined the 2018–2019 ‘Burning Sun Gate’ events, brought this topic back to light. Jung Joon-young was accused of illegally taping a sexual encounter with Ms. A, who reported him out of concern that the tape would leak. He left the show temporarily in 2016. According to BBC documentary journalist Park Hyo-sil, the charges were dropped and Ms. A withdrew her case after being persuaded by a KBS lawyer. Park told BBC that the lawyer warned Ms. A that insufficient proof could result in a false accusation. Park claims this fear caused Ms. A to drop her complaint. Jung returned to ‘1 Night 2 Days’ four months later as a victim garnering public support, but the case continued. Jung and former FT Island member Choi Jong-hoon were accused of group sexual assault of drunk women in 2016 during ‘Burning Sun Gate’ investigations. Jung was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to six years in November 2019 for the revelations. In 2020, an appeal lowered this to five years, which the Supreme Court upheld. Jung was freed from prison in March. Social media users are wondering if KBS’s legal staff intervened to safeguard its flagship program and star. KBS disputed these charges to Ilgan Sports, saying “any involvement of KBS’s legal affairs in the matter is completely unfounded.” The scandal and its aftermath continue to haunt Korean entertainment, emphasizing the delicate relationship between celebrity culture, judicial systems, and media ethics.