© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
0 / 31 Fotos
Who is Seungri? - Seungri is a K-pop star who recently left the world of showbiz. The singer was a member of boy band Big Bang.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
What did he do? - Seungri stands accused of procuring sex workers for business investors, which he denies. But what's the full story?
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
The Great Gatsby of Korea - First there's Seungri himself, known as "the Great Gatsby of Korea." He has a luxurious lifestyle and millions of fans, but that could all change now.
© Reuters
3 / 31 Fotos
Bad vibes at Burning Sun
- The singer was questioned by police back in February. This came after reports of sexual assault and the use of narcotics at the Burning Sun club in South Korea, where he worked as a PR director.
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
4 / 31 Fotos
Clearing the calendar
- Seungri then canceled all his planned engagements in February, and also called off his expected solo shows in March.
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
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Sexual bribery - The singer has also been linked to "sexual bribery," providing prostitutes to potential investors in Yuri Holdings, which is the company that manages Seungri's businesses.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Secret group chat - Seungri is accused of hiring sex workers for his clients through KakaoTalk, a group chat app which features a secret group chat.
© iStock
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Messages - The group chat features messages which seem to show Seungri asking a staff member to make the illegal arrangements.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Jung Joon-young
- Another group chat allegedly features inappropriate videos, which were secretly filmed by Jung Joon-young (pictured), another K-pop star.
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
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The alleged victims - SBS, a Korean broadcaster, has reported that ten women were filmed in the chat.
© iStock
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Calls for quits - Last week, a petition calling for Seungri's departure from Big Bang made the rounds online.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
In his defense
- The singer has defended himself, saying "I cannot stand the fact that I'm harming others for my own sake." (Photo: Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)
© Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
12 / 31 Fotos
Leaving Big Bang - Seungri added that he "has decided to retire because the controversy has become so big."
© Getty Images
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Economic impact
- The controversy has had big consequences for Seungri, as well as the companies that support him. Shares in Seungri's talent agency plummeted by 15.6% on March 11.
© Nicole Voon/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
14 / 31 Fotos
Past controversies - Seungri is the first member to leave the group, but this isn't the first controversy that has surrounded the members of Big Bang.
© Reuters
15 / 31 Fotos
G-Dragon gets investigated - Back in 2011, front man G-Dragon was investigated after smoking marijuana, a serious offense in South Korea.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
All clear - However, he was released without charge, and has kept up a squeaky-clean image ever since.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
The trial of T.O.P. - Member T.O.P. did not get the same treatment. The singer and rapper was given a 10-month prison sentence for using marijuana in 2017.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
The trial of T.O.P. - Before the announcement, T.O.P. was found unconscious in a police barracks due to overdosing on benzos, an anti-anxiety medicine.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
The trial of T.O.P. - T.O.P, real name Choi Seung-hyun, survived the overdose. However, many other South Korean stars have had their young careers cut short.
© Getty Images
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Kim Jong-hyun - Also known as Jonghyun, this K-pop star was the main vocalist of boy band Shinee for nine years.
© Getty Images
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Kim Jong-hyun - On December 18, 2017, Jonghyun committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. He died aged 27.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Go Eun-bi
- These days, girl group Ladies' Code is made up of Ashley, Sojung, and Zuny. Ashley is the only original member, after a tragic car accident claimed the lives of her fellow group members in 2014. (Photo: Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han)/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)
© Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han)/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
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Go Eun-bi
- Go Eun-bi (pictured) was one of the two fatalities in the crash. She was declared dead on arrival by the time she reached a hospital. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0 KR)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
24 / 31 Fotos
Kwon Rise
- Kwon Rise was another victim of the deadly crash. While EunB was pronounced dead on arrival, Rise underwent emergency brain surgery. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0 KR)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
25 / 31 Fotos
Kwon Rise
- Unfortunately, Rise didn't survive the recovery, and she died at the age of 23. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0 KR)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
26 / 31 Fotos
Kim Daul - Kim Daul wasn't a musician, but was widely-known in the scene, being close friends with "King of K-pop" G-Dragon.
© BrunoPress
27 / 31 Fotos
Kim Daul - The model and artist hung herself in Paris, after a long and open battle with depression.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Choi Jin-sil - Once nicknamed "The Nation’s Actress," Choi Jin-sil starred in 18 movies, and won the Grand Bell Award for Best Actress in 1995.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Choi Jin-sil - The popular star committed suicide by hanging at her home in Seoul. She was 39 years old.
© BrunoPress
30 / 31 Fotos
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
0 / 31 Fotos
Who is Seungri? - Seungri is a K-pop star who recently left the world of showbiz. The singer was a member of boy band Big Bang.
© Getty Images
1 / 31 Fotos
What did he do? - Seungri stands accused of procuring sex workers for business investors, which he denies. But what's the full story?
© Getty Images
2 / 31 Fotos
The Great Gatsby of Korea - First there's Seungri himself, known as "the Great Gatsby of Korea." He has a luxurious lifestyle and millions of fans, but that could all change now.
© Reuters
3 / 31 Fotos
Bad vibes at Burning Sun
- The singer was questioned by police back in February. This came after reports of sexual assault and the use of narcotics at the Burning Sun club in South Korea, where he worked as a PR director.
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
4 / 31 Fotos
Clearing the calendar
- Seungri then canceled all his planned engagements in February, and also called off his expected solo shows in March.
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
5 / 31 Fotos
Sexual bribery - The singer has also been linked to "sexual bribery," providing prostitutes to potential investors in Yuri Holdings, which is the company that manages Seungri's businesses.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Secret group chat - Seungri is accused of hiring sex workers for his clients through KakaoTalk, a group chat app which features a secret group chat.
© iStock
7 / 31 Fotos
Messages - The group chat features messages which seem to show Seungri asking a staff member to make the illegal arrangements.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Jung Joon-young
- Another group chat allegedly features inappropriate videos, which were secretly filmed by Jung Joon-young (pictured), another K-pop star.
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
9 / 31 Fotos
The alleged victims - SBS, a Korean broadcaster, has reported that ten women were filmed in the chat.
© iStock
10 / 31 Fotos
Calls for quits - Last week, a petition calling for Seungri's departure from Big Bang made the rounds online.
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
In his defense
- The singer has defended himself, saying "I cannot stand the fact that I'm harming others for my own sake." (Photo: Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)
© Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
12 / 31 Fotos
Leaving Big Bang - Seungri added that he "has decided to retire because the controversy has become so big."
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
Economic impact
- The controversy has had big consequences for Seungri, as well as the companies that support him. Shares in Seungri's talent agency plummeted by 15.6% on March 11.
© Nicole Voon/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
14 / 31 Fotos
Past controversies - Seungri is the first member to leave the group, but this isn't the first controversy that has surrounded the members of Big Bang.
© Reuters
15 / 31 Fotos
G-Dragon gets investigated - Back in 2011, front man G-Dragon was investigated after smoking marijuana, a serious offense in South Korea.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
All clear - However, he was released without charge, and has kept up a squeaky-clean image ever since.
© Getty Images
17 / 31 Fotos
The trial of T.O.P. - Member T.O.P. did not get the same treatment. The singer and rapper was given a 10-month prison sentence for using marijuana in 2017.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
The trial of T.O.P. - Before the announcement, T.O.P. was found unconscious in a police barracks due to overdosing on benzos, an anti-anxiety medicine.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
The trial of T.O.P. - T.O.P, real name Choi Seung-hyun, survived the overdose. However, many other South Korean stars have had their young careers cut short.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Kim Jong-hyun - Also known as Jonghyun, this K-pop star was the main vocalist of boy band Shinee for nine years.
© Getty Images
21 / 31 Fotos
Kim Jong-hyun - On December 18, 2017, Jonghyun committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning. He died aged 27.
© Getty Images
22 / 31 Fotos
Go Eun-bi
- These days, girl group Ladies' Code is made up of Ashley, Sojung, and Zuny. Ashley is the only original member, after a tragic car accident claimed the lives of her fellow group members in 2014. (Photo: Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han)/Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 2.0)
© Korea.net/Korean Culture and Information Service (Jeon Han)/Wikimedia/Creative Commons
23 / 31 Fotos
Go Eun-bi
- Go Eun-bi (pictured) was one of the two fatalities in the crash. She was declared dead on arrival by the time she reached a hospital. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0 KR)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
24 / 31 Fotos
Kwon Rise
- Kwon Rise was another victim of the deadly crash. While EunB was pronounced dead on arrival, Rise underwent emergency brain surgery. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0 KR)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
25 / 31 Fotos
Kwon Rise
- Unfortunately, Rise didn't survive the recovery, and she died at the age of 23. (Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY 2.0 KR)
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
26 / 31 Fotos
Kim Daul - Kim Daul wasn't a musician, but was widely-known in the scene, being close friends with "King of K-pop" G-Dragon.
© BrunoPress
27 / 31 Fotos
Kim Daul - The model and artist hung herself in Paris, after a long and open battle with depression.
© Getty Images
28 / 31 Fotos
Choi Jin-sil - Once nicknamed "The Nation’s Actress," Choi Jin-sil starred in 18 movies, and won the Grand Bell Award for Best Actress in 1995.
© Getty Images
29 / 31 Fotos
Choi Jin-sil - The popular star committed suicide by hanging at her home in Seoul. She was 39 years old.
© BrunoPress
30 / 31 Fotos
The story of Seungri and South Korean celebs with short careers
Seungri has recently left Big Bang, a hugely popular boy band
© Wikimedia/Creative Commons
The K-pop world has been turned on its head. Seungri, "The Great Gatsby of Korea," and a key member of boy band Big Bang, has recently left the group after widely-reported controversy. The singer stands accused of sexually-related crimes, like using "sexual bribery" for his business partners. The accusations have cut Seungri's career short, and he isn't the first. There have been many South Korean stars who have had short careers, albeit for very different reasons. Find out the whole story with this new gallery.
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