In this part of my breakdown I am recapping everything that has happened involving Seungri’s Katalk chat. It will be updated as other celebrities who have been mentioned are cleared or charged, and as new names are revealed.

March 4th, 2019

It Is Revealed Other Celebrities Are Involved in Seungri’s Chat Discussing Prostitution

“Several celebrities involved in Seungri’s Katalk room suspected of facilitating sexual favors”

Sources: Koreaboo

March 10th, 2019

2 Singers Are Called In For Investigation of Katalk

A witness to the chatroom made this statement to SBS funE about the chat:

There are chats inside the KakaoTalk chatroom that made me suspicious about a possible cohesion with the police, so I reported it to the Civil Rights’ Commission rather than the police.

Also an source made a statement about the content of the chat:

Within the evidence that was submitted to the police, there were more than 10 illegal hidden camera pictures and videos. Some of these videos and pictures were sent in the chatroom with Seungri and other celebrities.

Source: Koreaboo | Netizen Buzz

March 11th, 2019: Seungri Retires From Entertainment Industry

Translation:

This is Seungri.

At this point, I think it would be best if I retire from the entertainment industry. I decided on retiring from the entertainment industry as the issues that I caused a societal disturbance with are too major. Regarding the issues that are being investigated, I will be investigated diligently and reveal all the suspicions.

Receiving criticism and hate from the public for the past month and a half and with the situation of all the investigative agencies in the country currently investigating me, I am even being cornered as a traitor of the nation. I personally cannot tolerate causing harm to everyone around me in order to save myself.

I sincerely thank all of the fans in and outside of Korea who have given me lots of love for the past 10 years, and I think this is where I stop even if it’s at least [to protect] the honor of YG and BIGBANG.

Again, I am sorry and apologize once again.

I have been thankful to everyone until now.

Source: Billboard | Soompi

March 11th, 2019

Jung Joon Young Is Revealed To have Shared Hidden Camera Video In Chats

SBS reported that

Yong Junhyung Is Implicated In Katalk Investigation

In their report SBS listed ‘Singer Yong’ as a member of the chat, leading to speculation that it was Yong Junhyun of Highlight a known friend of Jung Jun Young. His agency Around Us releases a statement:

Hello, this is Around Us Ent.

We are writing in regards to the news of the reveal of singer Jung Joon Young’s KakaoTalk chatroom, which was reported on SBS’s ‘8 O’Clock News’ on March 11, 2019. We are aware that people are saying that Highlight member Yong Junhyung is the ‘Singer Yong’ that is shown in the contents of the conversation from the group chatroom with illegal hidden camera footage that was revealed on the news.

Yong Junhyung has no connection to the filming or sharing of illegal videos. Also, Yong Junhyung has never been in a chatroom where Jung Joon Young’s illegal hidden camera videos were shared. In addition to that, we have confirmed that he has never been in any group chatroom at all with Jung Joon Young. We directly confirmed with Yong Junhyung after the news report and found out that conversation that was shared in the news was originally the content of a one-on-one conversation between Jung Joon Young and Yong Junhyung. Previously in 2016 when Jung Joon Young was having a hard time due to a personal matter, Yong Junhyung asked him what was happening. Jung Joon Young replied ‘I got caught taking a video and sending it [the message included symbols for laughter],” and [Yong Junhyung] asked in return, ‘You mean you were caught by the woman?’ In regards to the simulated group chatroom screenshot that was shared in the news, we plan to verify with SBS News about the authenticity.

Of course, it is true that he is a friend of Jung Joon Young, however being caught up in this matter for the simple reason of them being friends has made Yong Junhyung and everyone who knows him feel aggrieved. We will be taking strict legal action in cases of the damaging of our artist’s reputation through the continued spread of false information and malicious posts or comments.

We hope that the fans, who must have been very surprised by the sudden news during the evening, are quickly able to relax. We ask for your continued interest and love for the five members of Highlight. Thank you.

Source: Soompi

SBS responded to Around Us’ statement by clarifying further that the text was in a one on one chat in December 2015, nine months prior to his ex-girlfriend’s case where she claimed he filmed a sex video of her without consent, and that the woman in question was a different woman known as B.

Source: Soompi

Dispatch Release Report About Jung Joon Young’s Chats

Dispatch released another report detailing Jung Joon Young’s chats and their content. There were 10 group chats and 1, one-on-one chatroom in which illegally taken hidden cameras where shared. In one chat there was Seungri, Jung Joon Young, a 2nd male singer “C”, Mr. Kim, Mr. Yoo, and 2 other individuals, identified as “H” and “G”. They were divided into two groups, one group for business with mutual acquaintances of Seungri,“Seungri-Fam,” and another with his own friends who are not close to Seungri, “Joon Young-Fam.” Mr. K, Seungri’s business partner, cooperated with Jung Joon Young the most often, and the two men filmed and shared approximately 10 hidden cameras across 10 months. Singer L was in “Jung Joon Young Fam” while Singer C was “Seungri Fam.” Here are some conversations:

A: X had a one-night stand with Y (member of a girl group).

B: Hey X, is Y tasty?

C: I met Z yesterday.

D: Ah! Z is a whore.

 

Jung Joon Young: What’s the name of your title track?

A: Title track? OOOOO.

Jung Joon Young: Oh, it’s a song for vaginas.

Mr. A: Mr. X had a one-night stand with Y (a girl group member).

Mr. B: Hey Mr. X, was Y a good restaurant? (was she good in bed?)

Mr. C: Yesterday I was with Z

Mr. D: Oh! Z is really a slut.

 

Jung Joon Young: What the name for your new title track?

Mr. A: Title song? _ _ _ _ _ (5 Characters in Korean)

Jung Joon Young: Ah, it’s a song for pussies then. [ㅂㅈ is short for 보지, which is an offensive slang word for vagina.]

[Conversation are Left to Right]

Additionally, an anonymous source shared with Dispatch details a conversation they had with him prior to his press conference about his case with his ex-girlfriend:

When he (Jung Joon Young) was going to the press conference, he said ‘I’ll go up there and pretend that I’m sorry.’ He didn’t seem to understand the actual problem. Those videos are like a game to him. Taking hidden camera videos has become a habit.

Source: Soompi | Koreaboo

Kang Daniel Denies Connection To Seungri

Kang Daniel’s lawyer, Seon Jong Moon appeared on MBC’s Section TV about his dispute with LM Entertainment and clarified that he does not know or met privately with Seungri at Burning Sun:

There have been about two Wanna One concerts, and Seungri merely attended as a [senior artist]. We’re currently checking the contents of the rumors, and we will take legal actions after making necessary arrangements. We are doing the best of our abilities in order for Kang Daniel to resume his regular entertainment activities.

t’s not true at all. [Kang Daniel] has not met Seungri privately, and he has never been to the club Burning Sun.

Source: Soompi

Seungri Is Banned From Leaving Korea

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency place a travel ban on Seungri, meaning he is officially a suspect in their investigation.

Source: Soompi

March 12th, 2019

Jung Yoon Young Returns To Korea & Is Booked On Charges

Police announce Jung Joon Young was book for “illegally filming and propagating videos and photographs of a sexual nature.”

We booked Jung Joon Young and others in relation to allegations of spreading illegally taken videos this afternoon. We cannot reveal the identities of the other suspects.

Source: Korea Herald

His arrival in Korea:

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