Inside K-pop's darkest scandal: Victim of Seoul's Burning Sun club recalls waking up in hotel room after being drugged and sexually assaulted - as documentary reveals horrifically graphic text messages Korean stars sent one another about gang raping women

A victim of sexual assault in one of South Korea's most horrific scandals has recounted her harrowing experience in a new BBC Eye documentary.

Multiple celebrities, K-pop idols, and police officials were arrested and charged over their involvement with the Burning Sun nightclub controversy, which was embroiled in prostitution, drug trafficking and corruption after being exposed in 2019.

At the centre of the investigation were group chat messages leaked from the phone of singer Jung Joon-young - which included graphic texts that saw men, some of whom were closely linked to the club, laughing about gang raping women and gleefully recounting 'the sound of her skull cracking when she fell'.

Staff who worked at the Burning Sun - which had famed musician Lee Seung-hyun as a director - also spoke to a new BBC programme, called for a Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-pop Chat Groups, about being told to facilitate the drugging and sexual assault of female guests for 'VIP' attendees.

One victim, who was a regular guest at the Burning Sun and wishes to stay anonymous, recounted the awful details of her assault for the documentary. 

'When I went to Burning Sun, we would get a table for ourselves, all girls,' she explained.

At the centre of the investigation were group chat messages leaked from the phone of singer Jung Joon-young (pictured in 2019)

'It was after I'd had one or two drinks perhaps? I went to the toilet with my friend and said "I feel weird today, I'm getting drunk really quickly. I think I shouldn't drink anymore." Then we came back to our seats.'

However, then the young woman suddenly found herself on a bed in a hotel room - with a man who had given her drinks at the club. 

'He suddenly ran at me and forced my clothes off,' she revealed. 'I tried to scream but he covered my mouth.

'And I tried not to get attacked. So I keep trying to get up, right? And from above, he kept sitting on me and pressing me down.

'Because I was screaming, he covered my mouth with both hands. He kept shoving me down as if he was giving me CPR.

'I couldn't breathe. My mouth hurt so much - but because he was sitting on me my ribs were hurting too.

'However much I struggled, it didn't work. So I gave up.'

The victim admitted that she thought the man was 'going to kill her'. 

One victim, who was a regular guest at the Burning Sun and wishes to stay anonymous, recounted the awful details of her assault for the documentary

The shocking BBC documentary also looked at the graphic messages between idols in KakaoTalk chatrooms, taken from singer Jung Joon-young's phone, between 2015 and 2016

'I was in so much pain,' she continued. 'But he wouldn't stop and he kept trying to do the deed. So I just gave up and just lay there.

'I felt so sick. I grabbed the rubbish bin and vomited. I vomited and I knelt down on the floor and begged. I begged him to send me home. 

'I said I missed my mum so much. I cried and begged.'

The assaulter told her he'd 'let her go if she took a photo'. 

The victim said: 'He told me to smile but I couldn't. I wanted to cover my face. Because he didn't let me, I just made a peace sign then I rushed out. But my memory of that is hazy.'

While she reported the rape to the police, her assaulter claimed they had consensual sex, and used the photo as 'evidence'. He was allowed to leave Korea.

The shocking BBC documentary also looked at the graphic messages between idols in KakaoTalk chatrooms, taken from singer Jung Joon-young's phone, between 2015 and 2016.

The leak of the texts was tied to the Burning Sun scandal because allegations from the chatrooms were coming out at the same time that the club was being exposed.

Burning Sun owner Lee Seung-hyun - commonly known as Seungri and dubbed the 'Great Gatsby of South Korea' for his lavish party lifestyle - was also in the group chat.

While she reported the rape to the police, her assaulter claimed they had consensual sex, and used the photo as 'evidence'. He was allowed to leave Korea

One excerpt from the messages discussed a horrific sexual assault from March 2016, which took place in the city of Daegu.

'One woman was raped while she was unconscious,' journalist Kang Kyung-yoon - who was the reporter that broke news of the leaked chatrooms, told the documentary.

'They say, she was so drunk she almost cracked her head.'

Jung and Choi had gang-raped the woman - with friends and members of the chatroom present. 

One member, known only as Park, wrote: 'Oh, I got so scared yesterday, thinking that the girl had a real concussion. Sound of her skull cracking when she fell. Brother Jung and I were really surprised.'

Jung reacted with the laughing tears emoji.

'Most of their fans are female but these chats had exposed the real face of these men who were projecting a gentle image,' Kang added.

'But those faces weren't simple or plain. They were so disgusting, playing around with women as if they were toys and incapacitating them to insult them, to loathe them... they were bragging and sniggering about that as if they were trophies.'

Kang explained that when she was looking at the messages - which were shared via a whistleblower - she also worryingly saw evidence of a police presence that allowed the members of the group chat to get away with crime.

Journalist Kang Kyung-yoon (pictured) - who was the reporter that broke news of the leaked chatrooms, spoke to the BBC

Kang explained that when she was looking at the messages - which were shared via a whistleblower - she also worryingly saw evidence of a police presence that allowed the members of the group chat to get away with crime 

'There are two parts to Jung's chatrooms,' she said. 'One is the sexual violence by Jung and his friends. The second is suspected police collusion.

'Choi of FT Island had been caught drunk driving but a police officer had protected him. When I saw that, my legs shook.'

It was later revealed that a senior police officer, Yoon Gyu-geun, was 'looking out for the gang'.

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, he was later sentenced to a 20 million won (£11,541.32) fine for 'ordering officials to destroy evidence and accepting bribes related to the Burning Sun case'.

According to the outlet Jung got a six year prison sentence, which was later reduced to five years in 2020. He was released from prison in March of this year.

Meanwhile, musician Choi Jong-hoon, who was also in the chat, got a five year sentence which was reduced to two and a half years.

Seungri (pictured in 2020) got a three year sentence in 2021, but it was reduced to one and a half years. He was released from prison in February 2023

Seungri (second from left) was part of popular South Korean band Big Bang - which had a huge following

The Burning Sun scandal revealed the scale of a sexual abuse scandal in Seoul's exclusive Gangnam district (pictured in a file photo)

Who was involved in the Burning Sun scandal? 

LEE SEUNG-HYUNG (SEUNGRI)

Seungri, who rose to fame with the world-famous boy band, BIG BANG, was indicted on charges of organising prostitution, habitual gambling, and violation of the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act.

At the time his crimes were made public, Seungri left the entertainment business.

Seungri got a three year sentence in 2021, but it was reduced to one and a half years. He was released from prison in February 2023

'It would be better for me to retire from the entertainment business at this point,' Seungri said in a statement posted on his Instagram account in March 2019.

'As for the ongoing probe, I will take the investigation seriously to clear all allegations,' he added.

He suggested that he was concerned he would cause 'further damage to people around me,' and he would be 'criticized [sic] by the public and being treated as a nation's enemy during the investigation.' 

Seungri got a three year sentence in 2021, but it was reduced to one and a half years. He was released from prison in February 2023. 

JUNG JOON-YOUNG 

Jung's phone was key to the Burning Sun investigation being exposed as it was his phone messages being leaked. In 2016, reports emerged that his girlfriend accused him of secretly filming her during sex

K-pop musician Jung Joon-young - a solo performer and member of the JJY Band (later renamed Drug Restaurant) - was sentenced to six years in prison for raping a woman and distributing a video showing the act.

Jung's phone was key to the Burning Sun investigation being exposed as it was his phone messages being leaked. In 2016, reports emerged that his girlfriend accused him of secretly filming her during sex.

However, his media savvy management team handled the press and the star was even sympathised by many adoring fans in spite of the allegation.

At the time, Jung handed his phone to a private forensics company instead of the police. Later, an anonymous whistleblower leaked a copy of his phone data, which eventually exposed the group chat messages. 

According to Korea JoongAng Daily, Jung's sentence was reduced to five years in 2020. He was released from prison in March of this year.

CHOI JONG-HOON

It is understood that he was released from prison in 2021. He has reportedly earlier this year spoken about plans to go back into the entertainment industry

Choi Jong-hoon was a former member of South Korean boy band FT Island - serving as the leader, guitarist, and keyboardist - was sentenced to five years prison for rape. This was reduced to two and a half years.

It is understood that he was released from prison in 2021. He has reportedly earlier this year spoken about plans to go back into the entertainment industry. 

Seungri got a three year sentence in 2021, but it was reduced to one and a half years. He was released from prison in February 2023. 

'My heart still hurts when I think of that group chat,' Kang said. 'I had no idea it would be that serious.'

The journalist also spoke about the worrying trend of 'molka' in South Korea.

'"Molka" is a word that only exists in Korean,' she explained. 'The correct term is illegally filmed footage. A woman who is unaware is captured in a situation where she can feel humiliation.

'There are so many places where molka could happen - in public places like changing rooms or toilets. It can be taken between people in a relationship in order to destroy someone's life. Once filmed it can be distributed.'

The Burning Sun scandal revealed the scale of a sexual abuse scandal in Seoul's exclusive Gangnam district.

The investigation tarred the squeaky clean image of South Korea's K-Pop industry after a string of women came forward alleging they were drugged in clubs and served to wealthy men to rape.  More than 350 people were arrested in the operation.   

An earlier BBC investigation heard that victims were drugged with the substance GHB before being taken into alleyways, club back rooms or even hotels and raped by one or more men. 

According to doctors, GHB disappears from a person's system after a few hours, making it difficult for women to prove they had been raped.  

The same investigation found that VIP guest worked with nightclub reps to drug and then abuse their victims. 

Even more shockingly, extremely wealthy or important guests, known as VVIPs, paid thousands for random women enjoying a night out to be drugged and brought to them, according to the allegations. 

One club-goer told the BBC: 'These men are hunters and they pay to get in the game. So you need prey. It's foolish to think you won't get shot in this place.'  

The Korean National Police Agency has now created a special unit to investigate sex crimes against women in Gangnam.

The BBC Eye documentary, Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-pop Chat Groups, is available on iPlayer