On May 19, BBC News Korea released a video titled “Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-pop Chat Groups,” delving into the involvement of former BIGBANG member Seungri in the Burning Sun Scandal, the sexual assault and illegal filming crimes committed by former F.T. Island member Choi Jong Hoon, and the controversial group chat featuring Jung Joon Young.

As the Burning Sun Scandal resurfaces, public scrutiny has once again turned toward HyunA’s boyfriend, Yong Jun Hyung.

Yong Jun Hyung allegedly received an illicit video from Jung Joon Young in a private chat and made inappropriate comments back in 2015.

Consequently, he withdrew from HIGHLIGHT and completed his military service by November 2020. Upon his comeback in 2022, he clarified, “I did not participate in any of Jung Joon Young’s group chats.”

Despite avoiding legal repercussions, public opinion labeled him as a bystander who overlooked criminal behavior.

The fact that Yong Jun Hyung is Goo Ha Ra’s ex-lover, and his current girlfriend is HyunA (who was close to Goo Ha Ra), has also drawn criticism.

After watching the BBC documentary, many netizens expressed disappointment in HyunA’s association with Yong Jun Hyung on her social media platforms.

Singer Block B’s Zico faced renewed scrutiny as well. In 2016, Zico revealed on MBC’s “Radio Star” that Jung Joon Young possessed a “golden mobile phone,” sparking controversy.

Zico maintained that he only saw a list of contacts and denied any involvement in the scandal.

However, some netizens questioned his assertion, suggesting he might have encountered incriminating content.

Model-turned-actor Lee Chul Woo also addressed rumors linking him to Jung Joon Young’s group chat. On May 20, he reiterated, “I want to emphasize once again that I did not participate in any group chat involving illegal content.”

He clarified that the chat in question was related to a 2016 entertainment program.

Meanwhile, BBC’s documentary on the Burning Sun Scandal is gaining traction among K-pop fans worldwide.

Source(1)

When the Stars Gossip is facing a tough battle as its ratings continue to decline, leaving many to wonder if it can recover.

Despite its massive 500 billion KRW budget and a year-long production process, the drama’s viewership has been steadily dropping since its premiere.

The first two episodes of the show had relatively modest ratings, with 3.3% for episode one and 3.9% for episode two.

However, the third episode, which aired on January 11th, saw a sharp drop to just 2.2%, according to Nielsen Korea.

At this rate, the drama is on the verge of falling below 1% in viewership, which would be a serious blow for the production.

The drama’s star-studded cast, featuring Gong Hyo Jin and Lee Min Ho, hasn’t been enough to stop the slide in ratings.

As the show tries to maintain its momentum, the question remains: Can When the Stars Gossip bounce back, or will its viewership continue to sink?

With such a big budget and high expectations, viewers are still holding out hope for a recovery, but the drama’s future is uncertain unless ratings start climbing.

Source: [1]