Police investigate sex-for-favors scandal // Sayuri "Providing sexual favors is your own choice"

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

Goes with this Celebrities spotted providing sexual services to high-ranking officials
Finally found a proper article.

Police have opened a preliminary investigation into alleged sex-for-favors cases involving a number of high-ranking officials and public figures.

Officials at the National Police Agency said they obtained intelligence that a local contractor bought sexual services for social elites in return for business favors. The list of influential figures involved in the case reportedly includes an official who serves in a vice ministerial post and the head of a large hospital.

The 51-year-old contractor, identified only with his surname Yoon, is accused of filming them having sex with women he hired for the purpose. Sources say that he might have used the footage to blackmail the officials for business favors.

“We have just launched a preliminary investigation to secure substantial evidence. We first need to contact the women allegedly involved in the case to get their testimonies,” a police official was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency. The official added that the police hadn’t recovered the videos yet. The police will consider imposing a travel ban on Yoon as soon as they secure circumstantial evidence of him arranging the secretive meetings.

Local reports claimed that Yoon hired about 10 women, including a housewife, a businesswoman and a musician, to perform sexual services for officials. They were allegedly often invited to Yoon’s luxurious country house in Wonju, Gangwon Province or karaoke sessions between 2008 and 2011. Actresses and models were also invited to parties at the house, reports quoting neighbors said.

The case came to the attention of police after a woman filed a complaint against Yoon and his colleague for rape and extortion late last year. The woman surnamed Kwon told police that she found a number of CD-ROMS in a car she had lent Yoon that showed big name officials and women having sex. The police asked Kwon to submit evidence to back up her claims but she said she had destroyed the discs. The prosecution dropped all charges against Yoon last month aside from one relating to an unregistered air gun.

Kwon claimed that she had lent Yoon 1.5 billion won ($1.34 million) in cash and that he had threatened to release another video of Yoon raping her while drugged after she asked to be paid back.

Some reports suggested that the police had already known that Yoon purchased sexual services for high-ranking officials but might have ignored the case in consideration of its impact on the new government.

The main opposition Democratic United Party called for a full, transparent investigation into the allegations.

“The police have probed the case for a while (but) seem to have no intention of uncovering the truth as they feel the pressure of investigating the case that (allegedly) involves high-ranking officials under the new government,” DUP spokesman Park Yong-jin said.

“Cheong Wa Dae and the leading members of the police need to make efforts to reveal the truth.”

koreaherald



Article: Sayuri under controversy for saying "Providing sexual favors is your own choice", netizen opinions divided

Sayuri: "It's because celebrity hopefuls are greedy that sexual favors exist. People say that they do it because they're scared of what will happen if they don't, but I think that fear is just their greed. If you're not greedy about becoming a celebrity, you don't have to do it.

In the past, someone asked me out to drink with them on a program. I told them to screw off. I, of course, was take off of the program. If I had been greedy, I would've agreed to drink with him. I just think it's a personal choice."

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1. [+1,244, -16] She's not wrong, though

2. [+1,029 -16] I think she's one of the few female celebrities who are able to express their opinions in an intelligent way

3. [+1,009, -15] I think she's right

4. [+125, -7] I think what she's trying to say is that women are just as responsible for sexual favors as the people accepting it are. Women always act like they're the victims no matter what and have no responsibility for the actions they chose to commit... They always think, "Oh, I'm a woman, I'm the victim, someone will resolve this for me..."

5. [+102, -1] I think she's right as well... There are probably a number of female celebrities who spread their legs to get popular

6. [+83, -0] She's right. It's true that trainees are weaker and that providing sexual favors might be necessary to be popular, but there are just as many celebrities who held in their greed to be popular and worked their way up from the bottom until they got to where they are now. In the end, it's your choice to become a star to get popular in such a way.

7. [+69, -0] She's right. It's a trade. I'll give you my body so give me what I need. As long as it's not sexual assault, the woman is trading what she has for what she needs. Sayuri has a way with words that Koreans could never express themselves with.

8. [+59, -0] She's a hundred times right. No one's forcing these girls, drugging them, kidnapping them into joining powerful men for drinks and sleeping with them. Unless you're being raped, I don't see why any woman couldn't refuse such offers.

9. [+35, -1] Celebrities who gave sexual favors should never act like they are the victim. I used to work in the industry so I'm familiar with this stuff, and I'm reminded of an actress 'K' who was cast in a morning drama with a male rookie star. All she had to go was up but she rejected a sponsor offer and now she can't even come out on TV. In the end, it's your own personal choice. People tend to hate on the men in power that accept these things but I think women should be hated just as much.

10. [+32, -2] Sayuri's right. Trainees offer their bodies because they want to be popular. If they had the talent or a good head on their shoulders, why would they offer their bodies instead of trying to get popular through their own skills? Use your damn talents or get out of the industry.

11. [+33, -3] It was funny to me how Kim Boo Sun (another female celebrity guest on the show) said that "It's difficult to gain opportunities if your company doesn't have power." It's like she's trying to justify women having to provide sexual favors as something they couldn't choose. Isn't this how prostitutes think? Prostitutes are always like, "I can't help but do this in order to make a living and live." What's so different?

What's funnier is that when the audience was surveyed, half of them replied that it's the responsibility of both parties while the other half said it's only the responsibility of the company, or basically saying that women are the victims of sexual favors and it's the company that's in the wrong. I was kind of shocked with that.

Sports Seoul via Nate | Netizenbuzz
I know Netizenbuzz isn't the first choice for a source but..

Comments

[stephantasm.livejournal.com]

I guess some people don't know abt the strength of coercion and power...

[4minutesluts.livejournal.com]

or the fact that they've invested several years of their life into idol training or whatever and not going to school so they'rere kind of screwed for a career if they can't make that happen

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

"It's because celebrity hopefuls are greedy that sexual favors exist. People say that they do it because they're scared of what will happen if they don't, but I think that fear is just their greed. If you're not greedy about becoming a celebrity, you don't have to do it."

Or they were naive, are put in to positions where they are forced to provide favours. Life isn't black and white, some people can walk away, others can't. We're human in the end, this woman should get off her high horse and stop blaming people for getting exploited. Sort out society before laying the finger on those at the bottom, k thanx bye bitch.

[stephantasm.livejournal.com]

exactly

[hitsujiga.livejournal.com]

i'm trying to imagine here what it'd look like if every woman refused sexual favors in the industry...no music, no fashion, no dramas? ...

[nandexdame.livejournal.com]

men playing the role as women like back in the day

[hitsujiga.livejournal.com]

sounds great~

[devilstay.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no, when someone says to you 'If you want this from me, you need to provide such and such sexual favours' then it's actually a badly disguised threat posing as an option, so that when their ass get caught in court they can say 'but they said yes!!!' and know lots of people would victim blame, because sexism and rape culture.

[gee.livejournal.com]

Because it's always just as easy as saying "no" right? Because the kind of person who will ask you to sleep with them in return for some kind of support really seems the type to back off easily + with no repercussions.

And how do these folks know celebs aren't being coerced, drugged, or any other kind of things in order to make them more 'malleable' to the idea? Somehow I doubt it's just a simple "hey wanna sleep with me?" exchange.

[modestgoddess79.livejournal.com]

they probably force them to drink then ask them for sexual favors

[2ne3rd.livejournal.com]

Obviously each case is different, but I actually agree with what she's trying to say for the most part. Just like she said. She got fired and probably suffered lots of setbacks career wise, but at least she had her priorities right.

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

A simple no doesn't always do it for those people, you think they don't threaten them with worse things? Those sick fucks are going to get what they want some way. Like someone above said, it's not always black and white.

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

That's why OC said each case is different though

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

but for the most part, Sayuri is saying it happens because they are all greedy, how you can agree with that at all is beyond me.

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

I don't? I'm saying that sometimes it happens that way and that's what the OC said as well. Sometimes. You replied then and now as if we're completely agreeing with her or that we're shaming the girls or guys who are forced or feel pressured (or shaming the ones who do it willingly which I'm personally not doing). Which isn't the case and I thought that was unfair to the OC that's all.

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

OC said for the most part she agrees with what Sayuri is saying, I don't see how I'm reading anything wrong.

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

Well Idk maybe I'm wrong but to me it just sounds as if although what Sayuri isn't universally right, it's not 100% wrong either and "for the most part" was just a way of expressing that. But I'm not OC so I can't be sure. And if OC meant it the way you're reading it then nevermind all this.

[sunshine2163.livejournal.com]

Some people like to fish for fights, even when you have cleared the air and everyone else gets what you are saying but that one person that continues to try and be negative cause you didn't agree with their opinion. This is one of those people

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

Ah ah ok good. I just didn't want to come across as if I'm victim shaming or not seeing what's wrong with what Sayuri is saying.

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

I'm not one of those people, I just understood something one way and you understood something the other. I'm not fishing for fights, this is a topic where we are having discussions in.

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

you don't know me, and you can't know what "type" of person I am from one post. Get real.

[annhh.livejournal.com]

+1

everyone's not naive

[sunshine2163.livejournal.com]

right. Omona seems to like to play out all kpop artists as being these naive, innocent creatures that have never lived life and dont know what sex is or how babies are made.....ughhhh

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

not really.

[sunshine2163.livejournal.com]

yes, really

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

one one person mentioned people being naive and they didn't specify Koreans, just celeb hopefuls in general. So no, not really.

[sunshine2163.livejournal.com]

are we not on a site for korean pop news? is this post not talking about korean entertainment? So yes, really

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

lmfao what is that stupid logic.

[sunshine2163.livejournal.com]

lol ok...my logic is stupid cause it's not yours....right get mad...stay pressed.

[imyoona.livejournal.com]

My logic?! You said omona thinks kpop idols are all naive, I said not really because only one person even mentioned that here and you still think that constitutes as omona not being realistic about shit. I am a part of omona and was just letting you know that your statement isn't true, one person doesn't equal a whole community.

I'm not mad :*

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

Idk if this is aimed at my naive comment above but my context should have been explained. I meant naive as in going in to the industry without knowing how people trap you, either in to bad loans, contracts or abusive relationship (not physical but a threatening one). To me they're naive about how things run and so are faced with terrible situations. Look at kpop fans, the young ones are really naive about it all, imagine them in the industry trying to make it, sacrificing their future to the point they're willing to do anything, to me the naivety is the beginning.

[itsprincess.livejournal.com]

but most of these girls are forced into those situations and are extremely young and do get taken advantage of.

[frantastic.livejournal.com]

OP, there's now an article for Sayuri's story at soompi (http://www.soompi.com/2013/03/21/sayuri-after-declining-sexual-favors-i-was-cut-from-tv-programs/)

[ceecile.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The soompi article doesn't add anything in this case though so I'll just leave it like that.

[tempestdance.livejournal.com]

it's not even the fact that these women had a choice or not, it's the fact that sexual favors are a requirement to be a star, and not necessarily the talent.

idk, sayuri says a lot of insightful things and i respect her a lot for her philosophy, but this was not one of those times.

[sub-divided.livejournal.com]

Sayuri is speaking from experience, but the commenters take what she says and use to trash all women who don't stand up to threats from men in power. Gross.

[the-erotomanic.livejournal.com]

it's great that she can refuse indecent proposals, but the reality is, not every girl/woman is empowered to do that. and the situations are always different for someone. you can't just generalize this as being greedy for fame.

[bob-dabuilda.livejournal.com]

She's partially right, yet partially wrong at the same time.
There are many females (and males too!) that had no choice in exchanging sex. Karam from D.N.A. admitts he was sexually assulted. Jang Jayeon was beaten, tortured, and imprisoned into performing sexual acts. There are minors who are taken advantaged of and only realize later they were abused. To say they had a choice is straight up bullshit and victim blaming.

There are however, plenty who do have the choice to say no and walk away. For example if a director offers a starring role to a rookie actress if she agrees to sleep with him, the actress could say no and walk. Sure she'll lose the breakout role and might even be blacklisted, but she still had the choice. Jayeon did not. The industry is filled with those in power who can offer propositions and blacklist at free will, and many don't want to cross them and risk ruining their careers. And good luck reporting them to the police.

What these celebs/wannabes need to think about is "Is it worth is to compromise my morals for a shot at fame?" If they say yes, then it is greed. Me sleeping with my boss for a promotion is greed. But that doesn't change the fact that those offering/pressuring others to sleep with them is harassment and I wish others would speak out so the police could do something.

[asnindie.livejournal.com]

All of this

[weerainbow.livejournal.com]

Well said!

[shouldermaine.livejournal.com]

these men shouldn't even be asking for sexual favors in the first place, netizens. the root of it is that these men think they are entitled to these 'favors' and it certainly shouldn't be the price of fame for these women.

if you reject them, you get punished, shunned from the industry and shamed by anons on the internet. but that's their 'choice'... give me a break.

[atelierlune.livejournal.com]

I want to know what people would say if it were men providing the favors.

[lysblack.livejournal.com]

she is not wrong, but she is not right either.

in the ent business many women willingly sllep with high end officials to get good opportunities, however that is a way smaller amount of women than the ones who are forced to do so in a way or another.

[muzegrey.livejournal.com]

There are many different situations. There are cases like Jang Ja Yeon, of course, and that needs to be stopped. But most people are aware of the sponsor system and some indeed use that to their advantage.
Many of the top stars in Korea indeed slept their way - male stars too.

But I don't think it can be said in a black and white manner, rape does indeed exist.

[mjspice.livejournal.com]

Wow even.

[lobotronic.livejournal.com]

Sayuri didn't say anything wrong. I agree with her.

It's disgusting that men in positions of power exert pressure on young female stars, offering them the chance for a "leg up"--BUT it's the woman's choice to take that risk to further her career by providing sexual favours. In my opinion it's not worth it, ever....but I've never starved myself while trying to find work in a cutthroat industry. So I can kind of see why women decide to go for it. The pressure is staggering.

That said, I definitely wish talent was the most important thing in entertainment...but it's not. It's who you know, and who you're willing to sleep with. I strongly dislike that female stars are so obviously commodified. They usually have a choice to do it or not, but that's oversimplifying the situation....they often have shittier options (get a part time job? wait for another role to come along?). Sexism at its finest.

*This does not extent to rape or assault--those cases are never okay, because the woman was not able to make a choice.

[falling-empress.livejournal.com]

Kwon claimed that she had lent Yoon 1.5 billion won ($1.34 million) in cash and that he had threatened to release another video of Yoon raping her while drugged after she asked to be paid back.

I need a gif from The Most Popular Girls in School of them saying "what the fuck?!" when they hear how much Deanndra's lunch is.

[jaghatar.livejournal.com]

she is both right and wrong those who abuse their position of power to persuade others into anything are disgusting especially when it is done agains someone who is not in a position to refuse but i am also tired people who portray women as helpless victims with no will of their own

[soramai.livejournal.com]

uggh, these knetizens comments! I can't!