On June 24, news about a significant legal ruling came out. The Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of a female broadcaster, confirming her seven-year prison sentence. This decision was made after the Seoul High Court had previously issued the same verdict in May. The individual, known as “A”, was a popular figure on the online streaming platform Soop (which was previously Afreeca TV).
Former TVXQ Member Kim Junsu Triumphs
She faced serious charges for taking a large sum of money, specifically ₩840 million KRW (around $613,000 USD), from singer Kim Junsu, former member of TVXQ. According to Korean media reports, she threatened him 101 times. She also secretly recorded a private conversation with Kim Junsu and then threatened to make it public on social media.
During the court proceedings, “A”‘s lawyers offered a defence. They claimed that their client was struggling with an addiction to propofol. This addiction affected her ability to think clearly and led her to commit the crime to get money for drugs. The lawyers also stated that she did not plan to record Kim Junsu and that some of the money was used to pay for her father’s hospital bills as he was fighting prostate cancer.
What Exactly Happened?
According to Korean media outlets, a female streamer, known as “A” on AfreecaTV, was accused of blackmailing Kim Junsu, a former member of TVXQ. She allegedly took around ₩800 million KRW, which is about $569,000 USD, from him. On November 13, the Gyeonggi Northern Police requested an arrest warrant for her on extortion charges.
When did it start? The trouble started in 2019 when “A” met Kim Junsu. She threatened to leak private audio recordings of their conversations unless he paid her. To keep the recordings secret, Kim Junsu gave her the money she demanded. Later, investigations showed that “A” may have used the cash to buy drugs.
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