Update on sexual harassment by CEO

http://www.asianjunkie.com/2012/04/open-world-entertainment-trainee-opens-up-about-being-groped-and-told-to-get-naked/

This article talks about one girl who gave up her dreams due to having been told to get naked and harassed then groped by the CEO, she was a girl who did not risk having anything happen to her just for the sake of her dream at the cost of giving it up. The scary thing is knowing that her friend was training in the other company that makes two companies that are aware of each others dirty business and allow it to go on.


http://seoulbeats.com/2012/04/open-world-entertainment-and-the-ugly-side-of-kpop/

The above link is worth reading more so if you haven't read any of my previous post or taken the time to copy and paste the links in a browser. I will copy and paste some parts here for the lazy people who won't open this link in a browser.

The article starts like so ...

The sexual objectification of women (and increasingly men) in the South Korean entertainment industry — or really, in just about any entertainment industry — is certainly nothing new or even shocking. K-pop fans in particular have sadly been largely desensitized to issues involving the inappropriate sexualization of the female form, and the pervasive influence of so-called “uncle fans” in driving the market for girl groups is hardly shocking and indeed even expected.

But consumers of K-pop would do well to remember that sexual misdemeanors and crime within the industry itself is a reality that has the potential to destroy not only careers, but lives — and just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean that it isn’t happening to an alarming degree.

to this I must object perhaps it is the case for Asians as this is something they seem used to but for many others we are not desensitized it is something we assume can and may and even must happen sometimes in the industry but we would never expect 8 out of 10 companies to assault and abuse harass their talents.

" Open World Entertainment’s CEO, Jang Seok-woo, was arrested last week on suspicion not only of sexually abusing female trainees, but of coercing male idols signed to his agency to do so as well. On April 12, the Kangnam Police Station in Seoul released a statement saying that Jang, who had initially denied all charges levied against him, had admitted to a portion of them being true (though exactly which charges he admitted to was unspecified); three days later, another statement was released confirming the worst: " Since the end of 2010, Jang has sexually harassed six female trainees over ten times. During this time, he also forced male idol group members from his own agency to sexually harass these trainees as well."

"Police also report that they have collected testimony from several of the victims that corroborates these allegations, including testimony that Jang had used his power and influence in order to coerce sexual abuse and compliance. The number of victims is now reported to have been at least ten young women, and police now suspect that this abuse has been taking place since 2008."

This is also taken from the article and for this all I can say is how can people stay silent when this has been going on for so many years we are 2012 that is 4 years!!!!!!! how can you allow this to happen for that long how can you let it happen at all?

"In a case like this, it is incredibly difficult both to put together the pieces and to stop oneself from pointing fingers. Almost certainly, we do not yet have all of the facts and cannot possibly know the scandal’s intimate details, particularly regarding the coercion of made idols to rape and abuse young women. More information will certainly be made available as the case progresses, but in the meantime, wild guesswork and mudslinging will not in any way help the situation or alleviate the immeasurable pain the victims have undoubtedly suffered.

It is difficult to deny, however, that this scandal is possibly one of the ugliest to ever have emerged in the Korean entertainment world. Sexual abuse and coercion are despicable crimes, but to engage in such a practice over a period of what could be as long as five years is shocking and disturbing. The prolonged sexual abuse of these young women evokes memories of the late actress Jang Ja-yeon, who committed suicide at age 26 in 2009 due to depression that was likely linked to the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her agent. According to her suicide note, Ja-yeon’s management forced her to have sex with a significant number of higher-ups in the entertainment industry. The wildly popular Boys Over Flowers’ actress’ tragic end shed a light on the shameful underbelly of Korea’s entertainment world. While many have long suspected that illicit sexual practice takes place within many agencies, the confirmation of its veracity is a bitter pill to swallow and a call to action.

As the Open World Entertainment scandal has undoubtedly demonstrated, sexual crime is a reality of the Korean entertainment industry, and it could likely be more pervasive than we as fans would like to believe. South Korea ought to take this case and any further accusations of sexual violence against women in the entertainment world very, very seriously, and punishment should be appropriate to the nature of the crime. Women who aspire to work in entertainment in South Korea should not, under any circumstance, believe that subjecting themselves to sexual harassment or abuse is just part and parcel of climbing the ladder to fame. I sincerely hope that this case serves as a wake-up call and provides further impetus for South Korea to protect its celebrities from abuse in all forms."


I agree that it is not needed to start pointing fingers and accusing people we do not project our true sentiments and concerns when we are just acting like a mindless mob. Before we point fingers and accuse the idols we need all the facts and I believe it is wrong to turn victims into monsters as I have witness many people do on forums. the idols should they be involved from being coerced into it they are also victims being abused by one in higher power.

I believe the reason why all this happens is because the people know that even if they were to get caught they would not be facing jail time because for one reason or another the Korean government seems to be very slack when issuing jail time to offenders law breakers almost anywhere else in the world would love to be prosecuted by the Korean government instead of their own. In North America sexual crimes get you 20 to life in most cases. Also in North America you do not get charged 12 years and only do 6 months probation walking along the streets much like the animal who victimized Nam Young got. That is not to say that some crimes do not get handled well in other places in the world because there are many slip up all over but Korea and China have some major issues and their government is doing nothing about those problems. It is a disappointment these people who have so much pride are having less and less to be proud of as we all find out just how unjust and cruel they are to their talents and citizens , teach your youth how to be outstanding upstanding citizens instead of obsessed fans who risk lives over infatuation and the sheer high of getting away with crimes towards others privacy and fundamental rights their human rights.