Late Goo Ha-ra Turns Out To Have Played The Key Role In Burning Sun Investigation

On May 19th, BBC released a documentary titled “Burning Sun: The story of women who exposed secrets behind K-pop stars’ group chat room”.

While covering the Burning Sun Scandal, reporter Kang Kyung-yoon noticed that the messages in the group chat room suggested a close relationship between Seungri, Jung Joo-young, and a high-ranking police officer so she was trying to find out the identity of the police.

Reporter Kang said, “‘Who’s the police in their Kakaotalk group chat room?’ That was a problem I couldn’t solve and the most important clue. Suddenly, Goo Ha-ra showed up and opened that door for me”.

Recalling the past, reporter Kang said, “I still remember that day. Goo Ha-ra told me that she really wanted to help. I felt so grateful. Goo Ha-ra had been close with Choi Jong-hoon since her debut and she knew Seungri and Jung Joon-young to some extent. Since they were close, the late singer often saw them using their cell phones. She said, ‘There’s a lot of weird stuff there (in their phones). You’re right, reporter Kang’. To be honest, I wondered what she could do to help so I said, ‘Actually I want to know the identity of the police they mentioned but there’s no way for me to find out about that. Can you help me with it?’. Back then, Goo Ha-ra called Choi Jong-hoon and asked him about it”.

Goo Ha-ra’s older brother Goo Ho-in also shared, “My younger sister Ha-ra and Choi Jong-hoon were close friends who had known each other for a very long time since their trainee days. What I know is that she tried to persuade Choi Jong-hoon, saying ‘Tell the reporter exactly what you know’. I heard it because I was next to her when she talked on the phone. Ha-ra told him (Choi Jong-hoon), ‘Jong-hoon ah, I’ll help you. Just tell the reporter exactly what you know’.”

Thanks to the late Goo Ha-ra, reporter Kang was able to call Choi Jong-hoon and ask him to confirm the identity of the police in their messages. Choi Jong-hoon said, “I think they know someone a high-ranking police officer”, adding “We played golf together once. I heard that person is working at the Blue House now. He used to be a police”