K-Pop Idol Says He Was “Too Drunk to Remember” He R*ped Fellow Member
K-Pop is a glamorous world that has continued to garner worldwide attention due to its catchy music, extravagant visuals, and attention-seeking aegyo. What continued to make it more popular are the groups who presented some unique concepts and great artists in the industry. While this stream is making the music flow in another direction, the shady side is not to be overlooked.
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Recently, the dark side of the K-Pop industry has unveiled a shocking incident. As per recent reports, a case has appeared about a K-Pop idol member who is charged with r*ping his fellow group member both during his trainee days and even after his debut.
The Perpetrator Idol, A Acknowledged The R*pe Charges
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As per Seoul Newspaper reported via Naver, it was confirmed this Monday that a male idol belonging to a six-member K-Pop boy group was turned over for trial. The reports shared that he is charged with forcibly molesting and r*ping his fellow group member both before and after the group’s debut.
The decision trial of this incident was held on March 29th, 2023 at the Seoul Central District Court regarding the accusations charged on former idol A who is the perpetrator. As per the accusations reported, A touched the body of his fellow member, victim B, at least three times from 2017 to 2021 in their dorm and practice room.
The former male idol acknowledged the majority of the charges mentioned in the trial and even expressed remorse for the same. However, for some of the charges, he mentioned “(At the time) I was too drunk to remember.”
The prosecution asked A to be sentenced to three years in prison, disclosed his identity, and complete a sexual violence treatment program. In addition to that, he is ordered to restrict employment for five years.
How Was This BlindSpot Unfolded?
The newspaper mentioned that the victim, here referred to as B reported the case to the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul three years ago. It is reported that The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office accused A of similar r*pe charges and indecent assault in January of that year. After the incident, A left the team for personal reasons and halted participating in the group activities.
An official from the agency said,
“We are checking the facts and will reveal our position later.”
This shocking incident has put forward the blindspot in the K-idol training system. While the training system prepares the young trainees for the best in terms of dancing, singing, and other relevant things required to be a potential artist in the future, it overlooks the adequate protection they require apart from their practice time.
As the young trainees are confined in spaces for a long time, they are vulnerable to such heinous crimes which could happen in their agency or the group. In particular, experts shared that an agency is not an educational institution or a protective facility for aspiring idols so they are not obligated to file a report.
Meanwhile, if someone were to voice out their opinions, their reputation factor comes to play which is a major deal in the industry, especially for aspiring idols. Meanwhile, The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has shared that they would look into this issue this year as their survey never found an investigation related to s*x crimes and violence in the industry until 2021.
Source: Seoul Newspaper Via Naver
