(TW) Idol C accused of sexual harassment #MeToo

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

The original post got deleted, but netizens and media took screenshots. Below is a summary:

The OP claimed that when she was in grade 6~7, she was called by the idol to have a talk. He locked her into a bathroom and sexually harassed her with actions like licking her ears. He threatened her that if she screamed or tried to leave, he was going to spread the story. He later threatened her on messenger to send him nude pictures, which she did. She begged him not to spread the story. In high school, she heard that A was going to debut as an idol. She was revealed because even if he still had the pictures, he couldn't do anything about them.

The OP of the original post later wrote:

Thanks to everyone who comforted me. The reason why I couldn't reveal his name was because I'm still not confident enough. I have no proofs but I know some friends who was in the same situation as me. Other Metoo assaulters denied their fault first but the fact that there are more victims coming out is an enough proof. My story is from 17 years ago, how can I have any proof? And back then, it was possible to send pictures on BuddyBuddy messenger like Kakaotalk. I'm taking down the post. It's meaningless since there are screencaps out there but I don't want anything else. I just want an apology.

Netizens are suspecting FT Island Choi Jonghoon to be the idol in question. No official statements so far.

edit from kpopkfans:
When I translated the Pann OP’s edited message, the first sentence was like “Since it’s today, I decided to take down the post.” I didn’t get what she meant by “today” and it seemed to be out of the context so I didn’t translate it. The pann is deleted so I can’t go back to check. And I just found that today is the accused idol’s birthday so perhaps she meant that but didn’t want to make it clear.

Also, from the kpopkfans comment section:
I read the post when it first came out. OP mentioned the accused dated an athlete, that he was in a boyband, was an idol, and had a reputation in school for being a bully/pervert. People just put two and two together.

sources: kpopkfans, nate, pann, @kpopkfans 1, 2

Comments

[katheli.livejournal.com]

do netizens have any reasons to suspect that idol specifically? like are there hints in the posting? cause I googled him and 17 years ago he was like 11 years old

[theonlysolution.livejournal.com]

Based on the timeline given it fits an idol who would have debuted sometime around 2005-2007 and may have still been in high school at the time he debuted. The victim stated it happened while she was in the sixth grade, so him being that young would fit if they were both around the same age. I saw someone who said she gave out a few hints in the comments of the pann post she posted before deleting it.

[elimoum.livejournal.com]

Had to google him to check for my self.. Yeez, they better have some reasons for thinking it’s him. I mean the guy in this post is a douch! But if netizens have started to just throw out random guesses, maybe just because they don’t like the ft island dude, then that’s also a problem.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

This is disgusting. I hope she's ok and that her identity isn't leaked. I'm dreading the madness that will happen once the #metoo movement really hits the idol world, and since the guessing has already begun...

Also I don't comment a lot on the #metoo posts because it makes me so angry but thank you OP for keeping us updated!

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

thank you! i asked shanny for a #metoo tag because i'm sure we'll get many more of these posts in the future but she hasnt replied yet.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

Probably busy. But IA we really need a tag to track this, there has been so many accusations against actors in the past few days, now an idol member and a ballad singer - and (sadly) I truely believe it's only the beginning for idols and their companies

[jasmineakaiumi.livejournal.com]

I second the last sentence in your comment! great work OP :)

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

thank you! <3

[daynr.livejournal.com]

I second the not commenting, but always reading, so that you OP!

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

<3

[kcaomei.livejournal.com]

agreeing with everyone above me! you're the real MVP OP<3

[goshipgurl.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you ❤

[theonlysolution.livejournal.com]

ngl, I'm kind of grossed out at the amount of people on stan twt who seem kind of gleeful about #metoo hitting idols so they can accuse the ones they hate. I get being worried about crazy fangirls shouting ~but oppar didn't mean it~ and attacking the victim but the opposite doesn't seem any better, tbh.

That being said, this case creeps me out because of how young both the victim and the accused would have been at the time. It's so messed up how boys have been socialized to harass and creep on girls before they've even become teenagers.

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

I've seen what you're talking about and I have a complicated relationship with it, as a victim of sexual abuse myself (currently in therapy, wish me luck lmao.)

I'm not gleeful exactly but I am kind of... eager to see some fans be forced to confront their internalized misogyny if that makes sense? Even on Omona, which tends toward being a sort of kpop safe haven, defenders popped out like crazy for Yoochun. Everyone unanimously goes "Yeah, fuck that guy!" when it's some old decrepit actor who never starred in their dreams but once it's oppa, even here, shit gets dicey... I want to see people examine the way they stan and the excuses they make and the ways they neglect using their consumer power against companies. "Well, what X-member did was bad but I can't make MY oppa suffer a bad album sale because of it! BRB giving them all of my money but I'm like, totally woke, you guys!" This shit gets tiresome to read.

But of course, beyond anything else, I am terrified to see women's lives be ruined after psychotic fans smear them online. Fucking terrified. If fans can find oppa's house, stalk him everywhere he goes, track his flights, cover up his middle school scandals for 10+ years etc, imagine what they could dig up on the victim to muddy an assault trial? Imagine how they could theoretically pollute a jury? If a popular idol gets accused in all of this, I think it will be a fucking nightmare for the victim and I am doubting any progress will come of it, quite honestly...

ETA: R I P sorry this is so long lmao I've been thinking about it a lot this week + I'm two energy drinks deep this afternoon.

[mikachi613.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing. Lots of love to you, bb

[theonlysolution.livejournal.com]

Good luck! I hope everything works out for you and your therapy is a place of healing for you :))

I was mainly thinking of tweets like this (https://twitter.com/LoveParkJimin13/status/971055756177846273) and this one (https://twitter.com/jkhopiegi/status/971067675722973184) (though some of them are from obvious trolls, not actual fans). There are definitely people who care more about fueling fanwars than about the victims. Sexual assault and harassment shouldn't be seen as "tea" ffs.

I understand what you mean. I've already heard that an actress who accused an actor was getting harassed on her instagram, and I've seen so many people on reddit who refuse to believe western celebrities who speak up and just call the accusation a witch hunt. I wish more people would see these cases and realize how rape culture permeates through our culture and use it as a way to teach both men and women not to act towards others, but unfortunately more people just condemn and attack the victim instead. It's easy to condemn someone like Weinstein, but some people can't handle cases where they'd have to examine their own behavior or when it's someone they like.

The sad part is that the SK courts have already failed many women. Just look at how easily men like Iron got off with basically a slap on the wrist and how his ex-girlfriend was branded as crazy. PYC and KHJ's fans use the fact that their accusers have been found guilty in some areas as a way to paint both of them as completely innocent, while ignoring their cases as a whole (some people really have to learn that not guilty based on lack of information =/= innocent). I'd at least hope they can prevent fans from being part of a jury, or that the SK courts are like the US and eliminate people that might have a background that would leave them prejudiced.

I really appreciate your input on this! I was worried someone might brush me off as being an apologist for writing that.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

As always 100% on your side with this. We've all been gaslighted out entire lives into giving shitty men the benefit of the doubt and there is nothing wrong with taking some joy in seeing some cracks in the facade that enables men to make our lives a living hell and fans to believe the lies and keep oppa financially secure. The fear of backlash after speaking out is one of the biggest reasons this got so far to begin with and if we can't all be honest about that and realize that none of our favs are above any of this we can never hope to make any progress.

[tsuyoi-hikari.livejournal.com]

'defenders popped out like crazy for Yoochun'

Wait, there're people who defend his toilet scandal HERE?

[msgrottesca.livejournal.com]

Y E P! I was incredibly surprised by it but I guess back in the day this place was Cassie central so I should have expected it.

[daceymormont.livejournal.com]

yeah, for me these past months have been really mentally exhausting with men in hollywood being exposed almost every day and now in the korean entertainment industry too. it's painful and i think it's kinda perverse that people are rejoicing at the possibility of an idol they don't like being accused of sexual assault because i know they'll use that to fuel fanwars and not because they actually care about the victims.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

I think the kind of person that would take joy in falsely accusing someone of sexual assault just so they can take them down and improve chances for their favs is already so incredibly messed up that you can't really take their reasoning into account. It's putting glue in an idol's drink level and they need help.

I don't know how to explain this but it's kind of like how shitty alt right guys will suddenly claim to care about men's rights when it gives them the opportunity to barge in on other people speaking out because of #metoo with "but what about men getting raped!" but are eerily quiet when someone like Kevin Spacey is outed or there is legit sexual violence happening against boys and men. They'll find a way to be gross regardless and we shouldn't feel guilty and responsible for them hijacking the narrative at the cost of women being too scared to speak out.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

I was groped and flashed in the 2nd grade by a group of 3rd grade boys so nothing surprises me at this point.

[gigabytexx.livejournal.com]

I was groped on my butt when I was 6th grade by a classmate, and he did that right 1 day after I lent him Ranma 1/2 comic book which has quite a nude scene (where boy-ranma becomes a girl after being poured hot water). So that day the boys were giggling all day with that certain scene and the next day when students were standing next to our seat (to greet the teacher), he was standing behind me and just groped my butt while 1 other boy kept staring at my stuff.
I kept my cool after that but then decided to tell my home teacher about what happened and I couldnt help but cried to her, then the teacher called the pos boy and told him to apologize to me.

Now I'm 30 and I still wonder if I didn't lend him the comic book, if I didn't support nudity at such a young age (because that comic was published illegally, and somehow I had it & I intended to brag).... would I be able to avoid that kind of harassment? I still think about it and I never got a chance to meet that boy again after we graduated. I wonder what kind of person he is now.

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

Honestly there is no need to even speculate if he was already at it this young: if she's telling the truth (and I choose to always believe women) then there is no way she was the only victim and it will give other girls the courage to step forward, and when there are several people with the same story then they are not lying. Keep into account Korean defamation laws: without proof women can be put in jail even if they're telling the truth! They have so much to lose by coming out with these stories!

I can't say anything about Jonghoon other than that he always seemed like a massive fuccboi to me so stranger things have happened.

And for anyone who is bringing out the "worried about lies and baseless accusations ruining a man's life" argument: please don't. It's just not true and if the accused is innocent his life will go on just fine (hey, probably even if he's guilty). Just remember that case a few months ago where a woman was assaulted by an idol's friend, it was a huge deal, people (mistakenly, I think) named an Infinite member, and now....no one cares! Being branded for life over a mistake mainly happens to female celebrities.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

you are right, if he was already a harasser at that young age then there have to be more victims

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

It's really worrying that the guy was already that aggressive when he would've still been in elementary school. That's a serious red light regardless of who it is and we know these things are never taken seriously and nipped in the bud before it's too late.

I always find it really upsetting when people think multiple accusations from different women are still not enough. Like we women have a secret "frame him for rape" radio frequency where we can get together to write up a little script allowing us to take a man down for shits and giggles (when some of these men like Harvey Weinstein actually did just that).

[audiograms.livejournal.com]

As a survivor my heart goes out to everyone coming forward and I hope that they stay safe.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

Also it's just hitting me that grade 6 would be like 11 or 12???????????? it's terrified that KIDS could already be sexually harrassing girls like this.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

I was groped and flashed in the the 2nd grade by a group of 3rd grade boys so its definitely possible at that age

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry this happened to you :(
I know this is possible - I just can't help being always pained, surprised, angry everytime I see reports like these because, eleven, seven in your case, is so young to be behaving like this :(

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

They learned it at home, parents need to be more responsible for how they raise their sons instead of excusing it with boys will be boys

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

Seconding @modestgoddess79: I remember being 8 years old when a boy in my class was severely reprimanded because he would make girls do handstands and spread their legs so he could touch their crotches. Another boy a year later made a habit of running up and grabbing our "boobs" from behind. It's terrifying how early they start.

Combine that with the fact that lots of boys are learning from porn these days and Korea is the #1 consumer of it in the entire world. It's a recipe for disaster.

[gathyou.livejournal.com]

This is awful! I'm glad the girst boy was reprimanded
I know it's possible and it happens all the time too. It still makes me just as sad and angry each time because eleven, and eight in your case, is so young and yet, these boys are already behaving in disturbing ways and in many cases, aren't called out and educated by adults around them...

[nekobot.livejournal.com]

It actually made a big difference, he was called up in front of the class and scolded to send a clear message to all the other boys as well that they would not be getting away with this sort of behaviour (well...I guess it didn't work on that one other kid) and he never did anything of the sort ever again. I'm really scared that this is just yet another thing that is put under the "boys will be boys" excuse when it is only going to get worse. This is taught behaviour.

[miss-suunshinee.livejournal.com]

certain idosl have all their pervy ways so internalized they even behave like that in front of cameras
im sure more idols names would come out ... i dont even mean those fuckboy vibes but those who literally make female idols uncomfortable with their presence *cough* sanE *cough*


i hope more victims find strength, even if this happened 10 days or 10 years ago... its never right

[anonymous-loljk.livejournal.com]

I just... Wow. I remember how aggresive he was back then when he was one that one dating reality show. But since debut he always has this 'calm and collected' image and, compared to other members, he seemed like the least likely to cause problem so this just caught me off guard. I hope if this is true then he should apologize and get punished accordingly (though i wonder if it's possible with the system in sk and how young they were when this happened).
Also agree that i'm glad with the stream of #metoo post even though i never reply on it. I hope more and more victims gain courage to speak up and also comfort that they are not alone.

[undeniablysarah.livejournal.com]

I hope the victims can get justice and peace. People who sexually/physically/emotionally assault others are scum.

[oh-folk.livejournal.com]

This shit enrages me; it's so pervasive. I have a hard time with these posts (I've been diagnosed with PTSD stemming from being sexually assaulted) but I know it's important to read these stories.

I hope she has support around her. Coming forward can be/is terrifying. I can't imagine having to do it on such a public level where stans/people in general can tear you apart because their bias/whoever is a precious lil cinnamon roll who is incapable of doing something heinous.

[horichansenpai.livejournal.com]

I am disgusted and tired and I want the girl to get the justice she deserves.

[kcaomei.livejournal.com]

i'm so infuriated and exhausted by all of these men that i don't even know what to say anymore but i'm glad and proud of her for coming forward and speaking out. she deserves justice and he deserves a life of living hell