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| ▲ This image of popular Korean YouTuber Tzuyang is captured from her YouTube channel. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 15 (Yonhap) -- Mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang, who recently claimed to have been subjected to continuous assault and threats from her ex-boyfriend for four years, announced on the 15th that she will be filing charges against certain YouTubers who have been blackmailing her with threats to expose her private life.
Tzuyang's legal representatives, lawyers Kim Tae-yeon and Kim Ki-baek from Taeyeon Law Office, released a statement on Tzuyang's YouTube channel community, stating, "We will be submitting complaints to the 3rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office against YouTubers Gukjeok, Ju Jak Gambyulsa (Jeon Guk-jin), the operator of 'Crime Research Institute', and anonymous blackmailers."
The lawyers explained, "At the time of the extortion incidents by the aforementioned YouTubers, Tzuyang was in a very distressed state, unable to respond to the monetary extortion, and thought she should quietly endure the ordeal alone."
However, as the case became public, "indiscriminate secondary damage began to spread to Tzuyang, related parties, and third parties," leading to the decision to proceed with the charges after much consideration.
They further stated, "If additional individuals involved in the extortion against Tzuyang are discovered during the investigation, we will respond actively without any leniency."
According to Tzuyang's representatives, there is already a complaint filed at the 3rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office listing Tzuyang as the victim, separate from the lawyers' charges.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has received the complaint for extortion against the 'cyber wreckers' YouTubers but has transferred the case to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office, which has jurisdiction over the accused's residence and the crime location and is handling multiple related cases.
On the morning of the 11th, Tzuyang, who has 10.4 million subscribers, revealed through her YouTube channel that she had been continuously assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, who was also the CEO of her former agency, and had been defrauded of at least 4 billion won (approximately 40 million USD) in unpaid broadcast earnings, sparking controversy.
YouTuber Gukjeok, accused of blackmailing Tzuyang into a 55 million won contract, voluntarily appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office on the same day, denying the allegations by claiming he acted as a double agent to prevent Tzuyang's exposure.
Karakura, who runs the "Karakura Crime Research Institute" channel, also distanced himself from the accusations through his personal YouTube channel, stating, "The 'Crime Research Institute' channel mentioned in Tzuyang's community post is not related to my channel."
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