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| ▲ Lee Jun-hee, known by his YouTube channel name Gujeyeok, appears before the prosecutors' office before heading to the Suwon District Court in Suwon, 30 kilometers south of Seoul, to attend an arrest warrant hearing on July 26, 2024. (Yonhap) |
YouTuber blackmail-court
Court set to decide on arrest warrants for 2 YouTubers in 'mukbang' star blackmail case
SUWON, South Korea, July 26 (Yonhap) -- A local court held a hearing Friday on arrest warrants for two YouTubers accused of blackmailing and extorting "mukbang" YouTube star Tzuyang.
The Suwon District Court began the hearing at 10:30 a.m. for Lee Jun-hee and Jeon Kuk-jin, known by their YouTube channel names, Gujeyeok and Jujakgambeolsa, respectively, on charges of blackmail, threats and extortion against Tzuyang.
The two men are accused of taking 55 million won (US$39,700) from Tzuyang, whose real name is Park Jung-won, in February on the condition that they don't disclose her past involving her former boyfriend.
The case was brought to public attention when YouTube channel Hoverlab revealed earlier this month that Park had been blackmailed with threats by the two to make public her past of working at a bar.
Tzuyang, who has more than 10 million subscribers on YouTube, later explained that she had been forced to work there due to continued assault and threats from her former boyfriend.
The prosecution launched an investigation into the case following a complaint filed against three YouTubers, and sought arrest warrants for two of them Tuesday. Tzuyang also filed a complaint against those who made such threats.
On his way to the court from a prosecutors' office, Lee said he would be questioned in a sincere manner.
The court is expected to decide whether to grant the arrest warrants for the two YouTubers as early as Friday afternoon.
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