The Forgotten Idol in the Burning Sun Scandal + Goo Hara’s Role in Revealing His Crimes

The Burning Sun scandal has recently resurfaced as a hot topic due to a BBC documentary that exposed the dark sides of the involved celebrities. Five years later, the case has once again sparked outrage.

The list of artists involved in the chat room, one of the focal points of the Burning Sun case, includes dozens of top 2nd gen idols: Seungri, Jung Joon Young, Roy Kim, Kangin (Super Junior), Lee Jong Hyun (CNBLUE), Jung Jinwoon (2AM), Yong Junhyung (former Highlight member), Choi Jong Hoon (former FT Island member), Eddy Kim, and model Lee Chul Woo.

Among them, Choi Jong Hoon has been identified as a gang rapist, accused of raping a woman with Jung Joon Young and sharing images in the group chat. 

However, amid the outrage rekindled by the BBC documentary, Choi Jong Hoon has been less frequently mentioned compared to Seungri and Jung Joon Young. He seems to have been forgotten in his own scandal.

Choi Jong Hoon debuted in 2007 and was the leader, guitarist, and keyboardist of FT Island. With a successful career and as one of the most fan-attracting members, Choi Jong Hoon was the ideal type of many fangirls. His idol dream shattered when he was prosecuted in the Burning Sun case in 2019.

Choi Jong Hoon was a crucial ally in Jung Joon Young’s sexual offenses. The beginning of the BBC documentary also reveals a series of messages where Choi Jong Hoon joked and partied with friends, including Seungri. 

The documentary disclosed messages showing Choi Jong Hoon and Jung Joon Young gang raping a female victim just before a fan meeting in Daegu. These explicit details made the public shudder at the false facade and moral degradation of these once-famous men.

At the time of prosecution, Choi Jong Hoon was sentenced to five years in prison for participating in two different gang rapes. Later, Choi Jong Hoon’s sentence was reduced to 2 years and 6 months due to a settlement with the victims.

In November 2021, Choi Jong Hoon was released from prison and announced his departure from the entertainment industry. However, recently, he launched a new channel on Japan’s Fanicon platform, announcing his comeback after five years. This action has been heavily criticized, with people calling Choi Jong Hoon “shameless” for wanting to continue his career despite his legal violations.

It wasn’t until the BBC released the Burning Sun documentary that the public learned the late Goo Hara played a crucial role in uncovering the shocking scandal. Burning Sun was not just a case involving artists but was also hidden by powerful figures. 

Journalist Kang Kyung Yoon, one of the two who exposed the Burning Sun scandal, revealed that Goo Hara was the one who opened the door and helped her investigate the case when she was still struggling with overlapping information.

Notably, the question about a powerful figure mentioned in Seungri and Jung Joon Young’s chat room as the “Chief Prosecutor” was the most mysterious factor. 

At this time, Goo Hara, as a close friend of Choi Jong Hoon, discovered the clue and provided it to journalist Kang Kyung Yoon. It turned out that the “Chief Prosecutor” was senior police officer Yoon Gyu Geum, who was later arrested for bribery and acting as a middleman for those in the Burning Sun case. This breakthrough opened the path for the case.

Goo Hara also persuaded Choi Jong Hoon to provide more information about the scandal. “Tell reporter Kang Kyung Yoon everything you know. I will try to help you. Please tell reporter Kang what you know,” read the conversation between Goo Hara and Choi Jong Hoon, as shared by Goo Hara’s brother.

Goo Hara was close friends with Choi Jong Hoon since their trainee days. Thanks to Goo Hara’s advice, Choi Jong Hoon eventually provided critical information related to the “Chief Prosecutor,” helping to solve the case. This action somewhat helped Choi Jong Hoon face less backlash compared to Seungri and Jung Joon Young.

Source: K14