The Burning Sun scandal has once again ignited public outcry, thanks to a recent BBC documentary that shed light on the dark actions of the implicated celebrities. Despite five years having passed, the controversy continues to be a hot topic of discussion.
The chat room, which is one of the key elements of the Burning Sun case, involves numerous prominent 2nd generation idols such as Seungri, Jung Joon Young, Roy Kim, Kangin from Super Junior, Lee Jong Hyun from CNBLUE, Jung Jinwoon from 2AM, former Highlight member Yong Junhyung, former FT Island member Choi Jong Hoon, Eddy Kim, and model Lee Chul Woo.
One of the individuals involved, Choi Jong Hoon, has been recognized as a gang rapist after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman alongside Jung Joon Young and distributing images within their group chat.
Despite the renewed public anger sparked by the BBC documentary, Choi Jong Hoon has not been mentioned as frequently as Seungri and Jung Joon Young. It appears that he has been overshadowed by his co-defendants in the scandal.
Choi Jong Hoon made his debut in 2007 as the leader, guitarist, and keyboardist of FT Island. He quickly gained a strong fan base and was admired by many fangirls. However, his dream as an idol was shattered in 2019 when he was prosecuted in the Burning Sun case.
Choi Jong Hoon played a significant role in aiding Jung Joon Young in his sexual offenses. This is further highlighted in the opening of the BBC documentary, which showcases a string of messages where Choi Jong Hoon can be seen joking and partying with his friends, including Seungri.
The documentary revealed disturbing messages that exposed Choi Jong Hoon and Jung Joon Young’s involvement in the gang rape of a female victim right before a fan meeting in Daegu. These graphic revelations shocked the public and revealed the true nature of these once-renowned men, causing a sense of revulsion towards their false image and moral decline.
During the prosecution, Choi Jong Hoon was originally sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in two separate gang rapes. However, after reaching a settlement with the victims, his sentence was later reduced to 2 years and 6 months.
Despite being released from prison and announcing his departure from the entertainment industry in November 2021, Choi Jong Hoon has faced heavy criticism for his recent comeback announcement on Japan’s Fanicon platform after five years. Many have called him “shameless”for attempting to continue his career despite his past legal violations.
The public only became aware of the significant role played by the late Goo Hara in exposing the shocking scandal after the release of the Burning Sun documentary by the BBC. This case not only involved artists but was also concealed by influential individuals.
Journalist Kang Kyung Yoon, one of the two individuals who exposed the Burning Sun scandal, disclosed that Goo Hara was the person who aided her in investigating the case by opening the door and assisting her in navigating through conflicting information.
The most enigmatic aspect of the chat room conversations between Seungri and Jung Joon Young was the discussion of a prominent individual referred to as the “Chief Prosecutor.”
During this period, Goo Hara, who was a good friend of Choi Jong Hoon, stumbled upon a crucial piece of evidence and promptly shared it with journalist Kang Kyung Yoon. This eventually led to the revelation that the individual known as the “Chief Prosecutor”was actually Yoon Gyu Geum, a high-ranking police official who was eventually apprehended for accepting bribes and facilitating illegal activities related to the Burning Sun scandal. This discovery greatly advanced the progress of the case.
According to Goo Hara’s brother, Goo Hara encouraged Choi Jong Hoon to disclose further details about the scandal to reporter Kang Kyung Yoon. She promised to assist him and requested that he truthfully share all the information he knew with the reporter.
“Goo Hara and Choi Jong Hoon had been close friends since their trainee days. Goo Hara’s advice ultimately led to Choi Jong Hoon providing crucial information about the “Chief Prosecutor,”which played a role in solving the case. This helped lessen the backlash faced by Choi Jong Hoon, in comparison to Seungri and Jung Joon Young.”
Origin: K14
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