This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Artist News Business News Media
BBC to launch K-pop sex scandal podcast
By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 19 June 2023
BBC Radio 4 has announced a new six part podcast series, titled ‘Burning Sun’, about a series of sex scandals that led to criminal convictions for a number of K-pop stars.
The series is named after the Seoul nightclub upon which the scandal centred. Popular with celebrities, an allegation of assault sparked an investigation into the venue, which uncovered claims about women being drugged by staff.
Later, it was discovered that a group of celebrities who had frequented the club had shared secretly filmed sex videos online.
“This is an astounding story we have been working on for years”, says presenter Chloe Hadjimatheou. “It’s taken a long time to build trust with the main players – women who helped shed light on scandals that very nearly never saw the light of day”.
“It’s about how in one of the most futuristic and technologically advanced places on earth women are still fighting for their most basic of rights”, she goes on, “and it’s caused a fault line in South Korean society”.
Commissioning Editor Daniel Clarke adds “With K-pop now a global phenomenon, this important series takes us on a really disconcerting but ultimately fascinating journey into how a terrible scandal came to light, exposing some of the world’s biggest music stars”.
The series will be available via BBC Sounds from 26 Jun. A TV documentary is also in the works.
