Where are the idols involved in the Burning Sun scandal now?

What is The Burning Sun Scandal?

The Burning Sun scandal, also referred to as Burning Sun Gate, was a scandal that deeply affected the Korean entertainment industry. It involved some prominent figures who have long been part of the entertainment and K-pop scene.

It all began in 2019 with Seungri, a major K-pop artist who, besides his entertainment career, was involved in different ventures, including a restaurant and a club named Burning Sun.

Initially, the club seemed like any other luxurious venue, attracting visits from wealthy and well-known celebs seeking a good time. Seungri, being a member of one of the biggest boy bands in K-pop, not only owned a 20 percent share in the business but also received substantial commissions for bringing in affluent clients.

However, when the actual truth about the nightclub surfaced, it sent shockwaves across the world. A regular club-goer named Kim filed a complaint against club members, alleging that they were drugging women and marketing them to wealthy clients.

What happened during the investigation?

This news gained attention, prompting the then-president to order a thorough investigation. During the inquiry, it became evident that the club, along with Seungri, was indeed involved in a prostitution and pornography operation.

Leaked conversations from a Kakao app revealed the involvement of Seungri, JJY (Jung Joon Young), Choi Jonghoon, Yong Junhyung, Lee Jonghyun, Roy Kim, Eddy Kim, and others.

While there were more notable names implicated, they didn’t make it to the official report, likely due to their strong connections. Two police officers, who allegedly accepted bribes to turn a blind eye, were also released due to a lack of solid evidence.

Where are the culprits of the Burning Sun Scandal now?

 Suengri

The first and most well-known figure in the scandal was Seungri. Amid the investigation, he enlisted in the military. Despite denying all accusations, Seungri was expelled from the military and sentenced to three years in prison. Before this, he had already been ousted from the Korean entertainment industry and his band, BigBang. Seungri was released in February of last year.

Jung Joon Young

Another big name in the scandal, Jung Joon Young, was arrested and tried for sharing obscene pictures of minors, sexual assault, and wrongly filming sex videos of his unsuspecting victim, whom he had drugged. Jung Joon Young was sentenced to six years, which was trimmed to five after he wrote a long document expressing his regret. 

Choi Jonghoon

Choi Jonghoon used to be in the well-known group FTISLAND and was found guilty of rape, sexual assault, and sharing explicit content. Originally sentenced to 5 years, he managed to reduce it through an out-of-court settlement. So, Choi is currently not in prison.

Yong Junhyung, Lee Jonghyun & Roy Kim 

One of the most famous stars in Korea, Yong Junhyung, was a member of the successful boy band HIGHLIGHT. Unlike others, Yong Junhyung didn’t have direct involvement, nor did he share any illegal, explicit videos in the chatroom. However, due to the controversy, he had to part ways with the band.

In a similar vein,  Lee Jonghyun avoided jail time but had to leave his group CNBLUE.

Roy Kim was also not directly involved in the scandal and was cleared of all charges. Later, he enlisted to fulfill his mandatory military service and is currently working in the entertainment industry as a solo artist.

Eddy Kim

Eddy was handcuffed on charges of sharing pornographic material but was found not directly involved. The charges against him were dropped, but he had to take a long break from the public eye.


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