Sexploitation in the world of K-pop is nothing new.

By NATASHA IMAN

alltherage@thestar.com.my

On April 10, the Korean entertainment industry was rocked by a sexual harassment scandal following the arrest of Open World Entertainment founder and chief executive officer Jang Seok-woo.

Open World Entertainment currently manages X-5, The Boss, Shinhwa member Jun-Jin, and actor Shin Ji-Soo.

Jang was arrested for allegedly sexually harassing the agency’s female trainees, and there are now claims that he also forced members of boy bands to join in the harassment.

One of Shinhwa's member, Jun-Jin, is managed by Open World Entertainment.

The agency was quick to issue a press statement in response to the allegations. It read: “Our Open World Entertainment artistes who are not linked to the original incident have been deeply hurt by this, as the media reported the stories before they were completely confirmed.

We earnestly ask you to refrain from writing speculative articles in the future, in order to prevent all of our label celebrities from experiencing backlash by simply being under the same label.”

However, on April 12, the Kangnam Police Station in Seoul released a press statement stating that Jang, who had initially denied all charges pressed against him, had indeed admitted to a handful of them.

Testimonies from several victims corroborate the allegations, which includes reports that Jang had used his power and influence in the industry to coerce the victims.

At least 10 young women have reportedly fallen prey to the sexual abuse, with two of them believed to be underaged.

As investigations into the scandal continues, each day brings with it new evidence and allegations, including the reported use of “aphrodisiac substances” by Jang to drug his female trainees prior to committing the sex crimes.

In addition to that, two members from idol groups have also been arrested on suspicion that they may have been involved in the case. However, it is still unknown whether they were willing participants or forced to do so by Jang.
The Open World Entertainment scandal is definitely not the first of its kind in the Korean entertainment industry, but this has to be one of the most heinous cases to be reported so far.

The sexual objectification of women in the Korean entertainment industry is certainly not something new, and it is unfortunate that sexual misdemeanours within the industry seem to be an inevitable reality with the potential to destroy both careers and lives.

In 2009, late actress Jang Ja-Yeon committed suicide as she could no longer handle the pressure of being repeatedly forced to have sex with several dozen prominent businessmen and various entertainment and media executives.
After investigations were launched into the matter, only two people affiliated with Ja-Yeon’s agency were charged with minor offenses and given light sentences without any jail time.

Ja-Yeon rose to popularity swiftly after appearing in the popular Korean drama Boys Over Flowers, and her tragic end brought to light what went on behind the scenes in the polished Korean entertainment industry.

In April 2010, the Korean Human Rights Commission conducted a survey that revealed that 60% of the 351 actresses surveyed had been asked to have sexual relations in order to further their careers in the industry.

Statistics like these constantly remind us of K-pop’s ugly side, and authorities ought to take cases like these more seriously to put an end to this culture, and to prevent more great talents from being lost to the pressures of working in the Korean entertainment industry.

More regulations need to be set in place in order to protect artistes from sexual abuse, especially with the new trend of having increasingly younger members in idol groups.

Natasha is currently studying in Japan, but her love for K-pop grows ever stronger.