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| ▲ This image of popular Korean YouTuber Tzuyang is captured from her YouTube channel. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- Tzuyang (real name Park Jung-won), a mukbang YouTuber with 10.1 million subscribers, has alleged that she endured continuous abuse and threats from her ex-boyfriend for four years. She also claimed that she was extorted out of at least 4 billion won.
Tzuyang revealed these details on her YouTube channel on the morning of the 11th in a live stream titled "I Will Tell You Everything." This broadcast was in response to a video uploaded by the YouTube channel Garo Sero Institute (Gaseyeon) titled "Tzuyang's Past Exposed and Threatened for Money (feat. Rekka Union)" which had become a hot topic.
Gaseyeon had previously claimed on the 10th that Tzuyang was threatened and extorted by the "Rekka Union," a group known for spreading fake news to increase viewership, who used her alleged past work at a bar to blackmail her.
In her broadcast, Tzuyang discussed her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, identified as Mr. A, whom she met during her university hiatus. She recounted, "I tried to break up after seeing his violent side, but he threatened to release illegal videos he had secretly recorded. He also assaulted me with blunt objects like umbrellas and forced me to work at the bar he was employed at, saying I just had to pour drinks. He took all the money I earned there."
Tzuyang continued, "When I said I wanted to quit, he started using violence again, beating me twice a day. Under his threat of 'how will you make money,' I began my YouTube channel." She revealed, "I broadcasted almost every day while being beaten. As my channel grew successful, he formed a management company and made an unfair contract where he took 70% of the profits, but he didn't even honor that, and I didn't receive any of the advertising revenue."
She further claimed, "It's been five years since I started broadcasting, and for four of those years, this happened every day."
Tzuyang credited her employees for helping her escape Mr. A. She said, "I begged him to leave, offering him all my money, but he contacted my employees to threaten them. Eventually, I had to file a lawsuit as he spread exaggerated or false information about my past to other YouTubers."
The live broadcast also featured Tzuyang's legal representatives, lawyers Kim Tae-yeon and Kim Ki-baek. They stated, "Tzuyang's ordeal was severe, and there were many evidentiary photos. The amount of money Tzuyang didn't receive is at least 4 billion won." They also presented evidence, including threatening messages Mr. A sent to Tzuyang's acquaintances, recordings of the assault incidents, and photos showing injuries from the beatings.
The lawyers added, "We have filed criminal charges against Mr. A for sexual assault, habitual assault, habitual threats, habitual injury, extortion (including attempted extortion), coercion (including attempted coercion), and use of communications media for lewd acts." However, the case was concluded with no charges due to Mr. A's death from an apparent suicide during the investigation.
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