Introducing - Intrigue: Burning Sun - a podcast by BBC Radio 4

The sex scandals that brought down some of the world’s biggest K-pop Stars. A tale of depravity, power and excess - hidden behind a facade of wholesome pop music.

In 2019 some of the world’s biggest music stars were found guilty of sharing secretly filmed sex videos, others of rape. Korean heart-throbs, used to being mobbed by adoring female fans, had been videoing themselves committing acts of terrible abuse and sharing them on group chats with each other.

When all this came to light, these super-stars wound up in jail, and their global fans were left in shock.

For the first time, we give the definitive account of the scandal, how it came to light and the explosive fallout, told by the people who were at the heart of uncovering the story.
We explore how the case highlighted an ‘epidemic’ of spy-cam crimes, where women are filmed without their consent walking up metro stairs, in public toilets and during sex. And how this abuse and misogyny has driven a wedge between many men and women, so deep that some believe it’s causing an existential crisis for South Korea.

Co-creator, presenter and writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou
Location Producer: Lee Hyun Choi
Assistant Producer and researcher: Jeong-One Park
Translator and researcher: Jinny Yeon
Music: Tom Haines at Brain Audio
Sound Design: Carlos San Juan at Brain Audio
Co-creator and executive producer: Kavita Puri

Further episodes of Intrigue

Further podcasts by BBC Radio 4

Website of BBC Radio 4