BOF Boys Over Flowers’ Actress Jang, Ja Yeon’s Suicide, Conspiracy Theories and Pandora’s Box

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an unknown actress makes her debut on a Lotte food TV commercial in 2006 at a rather late age of 24 . 3 years later now she comes into popularity with the airing of ‘Boys over Flowers’  a television series started airing in South Korea January 15 – playing one of the trio of the bad girls in an affluent high school – the story of popular anime comic origin was published in a long series 1992 ~ 2004 in Japan, having a successful run on Japanese TV 1996 ~ 7 under the same Japanese title .

however she was found dead March 7 hanged herself from the stairs in her duplex apartment in BunDang, one of the capital’s satellite cities full of apartment rows . the news then shown the suicide to have been due to depression, unable to get over her parents’ death in a traffic accident 10 years ago . and has been living with a sister and brother along with pets consoling each other . add to this problems with her production company and worry of declining role in the TV series .

then yesterday new developments arise, perhaps one that can jolt a major earthquake in Korea’s popular entertainment industry . for a part of a document was released which seemed to be a signed will or confession revealing her mistreatment from the president of her agency, which included physical abuse and forced escort services for influential executives leading to sex .

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so far the news are conflicting but eventually more pieces arise to seam the corners :

seems Jang, Ja Yeon visited her former manager and left him something . he has been in agony over what to do with this, which he confided on his blog two days before her death . now it is known if this is a confession she signed just before her death revealing : she had been subjected to harsh language and physical abuse including bodily harm that she had to go through psychiatric treatment . at the bottom is her Korean citizenship registration number as well as a fingerprint stamp in red (long used in the Orient as official signature). depicting contents such as :

“while in SouthEast Asia her agent called her to accompany a certain TV director at a golf course . and in another case to escort at a bar . then it was that very person who insisted she go to bed . on instances she refused, she was locked in a room and was punched and hit on the head with plastic bottles . by the president of her agency . she was also required to pay her manager’s salary (for the agency).”

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more questions arise because this same president of the agency has been questioned by prosecutors in 2002 concerning sex bribes to companies paying for TV commercials .

the said document gives detailed events amounting to over a dozen names of major influence in the Korean entertainment industry such as media/press, CEOs of production companies, directors of TV Series (Dramas), producers (which has a more direct role than Hollywood) and executives of conglomerate subsidiaries putting the ad commercials . obtaining this, KBS TV – an almost dominant player in Korean TV broadcast – phoned some of them who absolutely deny any wrong doing with some mentioning having only greeted the actress in a gathering .

this confession is dated February 28th while her suicide was in March 7th so any direct manslaughter charges are out . but Korean law states a prison term less than 4 years for threatening and forcing an employee to do an act not associated with work – according to the Korean Daily Economy – a tough cookie in the jar because this is still a hierarchical society with the low-downs serving the master .

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during police inquiries deep into last night her family is now saying the document is NOT a will nor confession, but the result of harsh competition between two entertainment agencies to get hold of her . they implied Jang, Ja Yeon was having difficulties with her current agency (perhaps because of her increasing reluctance to succumb to the extra “service”). hearing this her former agent talked her into revealing mistreatment she had received from her current agency so he can annul her current contract and sign on a new one with him .

so the story goes that her former agent had this document just prior to her suicide, after which evidently he decided NOT to reveal the document and instead handed it over to her family leaving it to them to decide what to do with it . the family then refused to go public with it and burnt the document with the former agent on March 12 . so it is unclear how some of the contents have been revealed to the media as well as the police confirming its existence yesterday . only parts of it have been disclosed with the depicted names withheld . there are reports that the former manager revealed it to the press while others stating he, after hearing of the document going public, called her family and said “are you trying to kill me (my career)?” there after he attempted suicide but has been rescued and now in a hospital shutting off any contact .

this case is investigated by BunDang Police who have announced yesterday they have found 4 documents at her agency‘s office supporting the above confession and they are going through the names on the list to varify its validity .

 revealed excerpt from the document :

” I am a fable and weak new actress .

I want get out of this misery .”

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cast of BOF ‘Boys Over Flowers’ arrives at her funeral :

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– Korea Tech BLog, March 16th 2009 –

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[March 16th update] police currently investigating Jang, Ja Yeon‘s home has announced messages recovered from her cell phone imply she was going through agony . also that there may be more than one version of the document in question .

meanwhile, since this is South Korea, some Internet sites have announced they have a copy of the actual document to increase “clicks” into their site .

on a conflicting angle, sources close to the current agent are saying it is NOT uncommon for new talents to fabricate stories to get out of their contract . and that the current agent could well be erroneously thought to practice such ‘service’ because he likes to drink and can be seen frequently at (hostess) bars but along with talents AND staff together .

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[March 16th late night update] more clarification surfacing, some in conflict with former news :

1. her former agent who had the document did NOT attempt to commit suicide but fainted on news of the document going public . all the same, he is in a hospital under police surveillance .
2. her family is saying the document which they read before burning, consisted of 7 pages of which the first two pages were about similar harsh treatment inflicted on two other actresses .

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[March 17th update] conflicting testimonies arise : (parenthesis is my cue)

1. her agent currently in Japan says Jang, Ja Yeon was affluent enough to drive around in a BMW thus no motive to have been forced to sexual bribery . (she hanged herself from the stairs in her apartment and only the most expensive apartments in Korea have multi-floors)
2. sources estimate all she had to pay to get out of her contract with her current agency was W3,000,000 ~ W5,000,000 not a great amount for a substantial star . (no need to stay and withstand such treatment NOR make up a bogus confession to get out of the contract)
3. the number of pages said to form her dying confession is consistently confusing : stating anywhere from 4 pages which KBS TV seem to have gotten a hold of, to 14~ 16 pages according to some media .

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while general fan-base has been curious and the entertainment industry on-the-edge concerning Jang, Ja Yeon‘s prospected list of subjects she had to serve – because this kind of practice had been rumoured for a long time – an actual ‘list’, whether real or not, has been circling since yesterday on bulk memos intented for updates among stock market and ad agency circles . (this kind of hand-away quotes began mid 80’s in professional groups but have recently been used to distribute unvarified scandals in the entertainment industry) but the police have denied any knowledge of such existence, while hinting it might NOT be possible to prosecute the subjects of a true list, because of unclear booty paid in such situations .

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[March 17th late night update] Pandora’s Box is open, if this IS the real list . it is now spreading over Korean cyberspace .

search “JANG JA YEON LIST” in Korean characters in a popular Korean Search Engine
and the list would be one out of three results, mostly as a member’s post in communities or forums called ‘cafes’ in Korea, belonging to major Korean portal sites . don’t bother searching older pages because they would have been erased .

some users are witnessing the contents erased soon after by the portal site administrators .
some are awed at the name of one chairman who is nearing 90 years old .

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[March 18th update] Jang, Ja Yeon’s former manager Yoo, Jang Ho set up his own Hoa Entertainment Company after splitting out from her current agency . he had the document in the midst of her death, and hospitalized after fainting on the news of the document going public . today scheduled to be released from the hospital, announced he will hold a press conference at 3pm to “reveal everything”.  but in the morning a well known comedian Seo, Sae Won with 2 men visited him when most of the press were away from his door resting .

OhMyNews – a start-up on-line news-site – reports that reporters heard through the door Seo telling Yoo : “the list is popped out and the people concerned are in a mess. (they) all have money so this can be solved by settlement (legal agreement without going to court). I will protect you so hide from the press . tell the press that there are so much you want to tell but that you cannot . and hide from the press until you get orders to do otherwise.” this is in spite of Yoo saying “but I have done nothing wrong.” this is interesting since the visitor Seo has been investigated on lobbying (bribery in the entertainment business) charges by the police in 2002 .

and what do you know : come 3pm at the press conference : Yoo dictated he will not accept any questions and said that he did not force Jang to do anything including the confession . then that he cannot answer what everybody is curious about because this case is under police investigation, and sped away in 6 minutes through the press conference .

early in the morning police had announced that Jang’s family had sued 4 people in connection with her death, and the media questions those 4 names might give another clue to what really went on .

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[March 19th update] politics may be hindering justice ?

detective manager at BunDang Police Station now say they DON’T have the LIST (of names for whom Jang, Ja Yeon‘s confessing document implies she was forced to escort including sex). repeatedly questioned by the press media why the police is “changing words” because on March 15th they said they have it and will look into its validity : they replied they have names included in described acts but are NOT in an ordered “list” of names therefore it is NOT a list (duh, how lame). it might be that the police is testing how far they can get away with it, for there must be pressures mounting from the hierarchy in the government who in turn pressured from the few influential characters named in the list .

but the police have confirmed Jang, Ja Yeon’s brother has filed legal suite against 7 people, of which 4 are directly involved in her confession . the charge is ‘mediating prostitution’ . one of the 4 revealed as her current agent Kim (who quit the company’s presidency last December), who is in Japan now . he went to Japan soon-after another legal lawsuit from another talent who sued him for NOT paying her appearance (on TV or even can be into special events) fees, which is under investigation by downtown JongRo Police Station . therefore BunDang Police said they have requested international handing over of charged criminal through the JongRo Police . Kim however stated that he was in Japan to look after a relative who is hospitalized .

the rest of the 4 people sued are said to be major company executives implied in Jang’s confession .

there are 2 side stories to this happening all over Korea currently :

1. testimonies from other talents who have gone through this ‘sex bribery’ phase long rumoured in Korea are popping up, from “I had to do it” to “my sister had to do it”. mostly under anonymity to various press media .
2. “Jang, Ja Yeon List” is now the number one keyword searched on the Internet, while some result comes with full names AND even photos of the persons depicted, are increasing .

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apparently police may be caught between investigating the truth but under pressure from influential hierarchies, and moreover may be hesitant for in the end the proof might be lacking to convict anyone : a few pieces of paper left from Jang is the only material lead and this can disappear any time, if it not yet has . but the only sure thing that will keep the police from investigating further is her family’s law suite . so, as Korea being the traditional culture as it is, in the end the conspirators might offer tons of money to the family and lucrative business will be back . unless .. citizens gather up for another candle light rally . but probably not, because everyday people want to /believe/ the stars and the story on TV monitors and movie screens to be beautiful AND glorious .

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[March 20th update]
former agent Yoo has now admitted that HE was the one who revealed Jang, Ja Yeon’s confessing documents to KBS TV . this only comes after KBS unveiled a recorded conversation between them . so Yoo who burnt the documents on March 7th with Jang’s family, on the next day revealed another copy of it to KBS . on inquiry why he lied : he mumbled “there might have been some error on our side”.

among the many sites and blogs now revealing her list : this simple list (in Korean) shows even the photos of those in question, first post on the right [Board] http://www.cyworld.com/surin23

this blog stands out in explaining the behind-story of entertainment agencies and detailed history of people involved with Jang, Ja Yeon‘s eventual suicide (in Korean):
http://blog.daum.net/yyyyyyyyyyyy1
in conclusion he images the questioned president of Jang’s agency as King of law suits (against talents and media) with  in questionable practices of sex-bribery, famous in entertainment circles for accompanying new talents to room salons which are adult bars enclosed in lavish private quarters .

also rising is the story of his agency office in the riche sector of KangNam (South of Han River). he relocated this office last November and police search has only been done in the new location . the old office is the one that hints what went on : the first floor is a bar, while the 3rd floor directly accessible from outdoor stairs, resembles a deluxe hotel room full with a large bath and terrace . neighbors say he had struck rich selling property and stocks in 2006 and bought this 3-story house cheap because it was a site of murder . soonafter he set up a bar on the ground floor and started lobbying in the entertainment circle . when he realized offering drinks was not enough he set up the suite on the 3rd floor, as the story goes .

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—– WEEK-END BREAK —–
won’t you ? if it was you ?

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[March 23th wrap-up] this post started from a suicide of a barely known new actress and is now raveling the dark side of entertainment business in South Korea : sex bribery which has been long rumoured . due to its potential involving established personel in movies, TV and their agents with managers of big companies paying for ads, as well as prominent figures in South Korea PLUS second-generation South-East Asian monguls, who might have been paying for these services, the investigation has been unfolding in a slow pace . partly because the police wants to be ‘sure’ because of the delicate nature of people involved, may be because they might NOT like what they find .

thus the daily updates so far, here, with only bits of potential truth coming out . on the whole there has been 2 groups of people who has been constantly pushing for the truth : Jang’s family consisting of her brother and sister (their parents lost in an automobile accident 10 years ago) and KBS TV who revealed her signed confession in the first place . the police has been rather slow, mainly from the point when they found the dreaded LIST . this goes in contrast from another LIST that is shocking the Korean Penninsula : Park, Yeon Cha List, concerning high administrators involved in massive political bribery case which I will introduce in a new blog post . there is NO actual written List in case of TaeKwang Industrial’s Chairman Park, but is one that is confessed out of him by the police – and he only started telling when the effect seemed to start digging into his daughter. so it might be whose side the names in the list is in politics that varies the aggressiveness of the investigations .

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[new happenings in the last 3 days]

1. Jang, Ja Yeon‘s list linked above may be gone by now, since the Korean Police Cyber Unit has begun investigating the source of this ‘unvarified list’. when this was initially announced, the media questioned if the police should be rather looking into the people ON the list than the act of speading an unconfirmed List on-line . this can be mis-interpreted as trying to protect the people ON the list than uncovering the truth . hence, the police have announced they have uncovered aproximately 90 counts on post-boards such as CyWorld (sort-of South Korea’s MySpace) and have deleted roughly half of them .
2. from mounting doubts in the media that the police may be dragging the case in view of prominent figures potentially involved in her List, the Police Chief of KyungGi Province on his visit to BunDang Police Station (which is under jurisdiction of KyungGi Do) announced the investigation will go on without concern of who is involved, and have doubled the force in charge of this case to almost 48 .
3. several true stories are being told by the media, from those involved in the entertainment business in South Korea : that it is NOT uncommon for a new talent to seek private ‘sponsors’, and moreover they refuse less than 10% when asked of such a proposal . this is inter-mediated by those close to the actor/actresses as a stylist or their actual manager and some professional dealers . the going rate is from W100,000,000 to ten times that where new talents usually meet the sponsor twice a week and well known actresses a few times a month . most are executives in large Korean corporations and even sons of owners of conglomerates in South-East Asia . they say male actors are not exempt from this scandal for there are prominent gay societies out there .
4. one who calls himself a brother-like figure to the late Jang, Ja Yeon has sent a bunch of letters she actually wrote to him, to a Korean newspaper, and has since been revealed to the public . the letter is postmarked from the port city of Busan and he may be of Chinese descent . her letters confide in him of actual daily happenings in her life where she was forced into accompanying influencial figures – [post-note March 25th] he has since been found by the police to be a prison inmate in a depressive state with no ties to Jang .
5. in her letters are scenes depicting they put drugs into her drink “again” and she was drowsy – opening up new speculation into drug abuse charges . sources close to her agent, now in hiding in Japan, says he is rumoured to use illegal drugs and has been formerly investigated by the police .

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[March 24th update] this case was about to have been closed as a simple suicide by the police as noted on my original post way~ above, had it NOT been for Jang, Ja Yeon’s former manager‘s post on his HomePy (personal blog in Korea) the after her suicide : that he had a document to prove she went in agony, AND the media’s continued inquiry into this document . then as the story was unfolding that this document was made for a weapon to untie herself from her current agency, there were news in this beginning state of inquiries that a source close to both people hinted there was another key person involved .

now it seems a few people knew about this confessing document before it was known to the press, and may well be the reason why Jang opted to take her own life (in shame). in the news of this uncovering : two established acresses’ names repeatly appear in Song, Sun Mi and Kim, Min Sun . Song, Sun Mi left Jang’s current agency for the new one found by Jang’s former agent and is currently suing Jang’s current agency for payment with-held . and it seems Jang was trying to contact Kim, Min Sun just before she died . in the course of this whole story unraveling you cannot help but feel someone out there desperately wanting this story to be told and it might be one of them . perhaps for justice, perhaps for another reason .

it also seems Jang was trying to reserve a flight to Japan prior to the death . and this is where her current agency’s president Kim is in hiding – [post note March 25th] it has been now found she faxed several documents to him days before her death requesting unpaid casting fees, and told her friend he threatened to kill her (because of her confessing document) and she is worried something might happen to her .

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(I better color-code the persons involved for Korean surnames are way too common prone to further mixe up this story -_-)

• beginning actress Jang, Ja Yeon whose has started as the BAD trio girls in the Korean TV version of “Boys over Flowers”, who eventually was found dead hanged under the stairs in her duplex apartment .. in GREEN for she was a rookie actress .
• her current agency’s president Kim (who quit in December 2009) in hiding in Japan, who is suspected to have mentally and physically abused Jang and forced her into escort services including sex .. in RED because all fingers point to him .
• her former manager Yoo who broke from Jang’s current agency to form his own agency, and now may have convinced Jang to write the death note to legally end her current contract, perhaps to lure her into his own new agency .. in PURPLE because he is the Wild Card and perhaps the ‘Joker’ .

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there is another unvaried document circling on the Internet entitled “the story behind Jang, Ja Yeon‘s suicide”, originating from the same source of her now famed LIST : the bulk memos intented for updates among stock market and ad agency circles .

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[March 25th update]
the rise of 2nd & 3rd persons .

in the course of police investigations, an additional man (TV producer ?) has been identified through surveillance CCTV at the airport who was NOT on her list as accompanying her in Thailand . also, another beginning talent has confessed while being interrogated that she was in an adult hostess bar (called “Room Salon” like Japan) with Jang, Ja Yeon serving “their fullest” and later Jang left with the man she was escorting . these extra people seem to give more insight into what happened than the actual people on the list who so far all are firmly denying such wrong doing . a TV producer (?) even called the investigating police “from abroad” to say he is NOT guilty .

among the many media (newspaper and TV) covering the story and blogs from both everyday citizens and those in the entertainment business stating their view of this account, one “team” blog entitled [3M’s : Men’s Movie, Music & Masturbation] recounts in Korean the on-goings in popular media in Korea today . on Jang, Ja Yeon’s current agent‘s complaint that Jang was rich enough not to have “serving him”, they went on to meet her acqaintances even going into her hometown where their parents were rumoured to have struck rich . they have uncovered Jang was not as well off as stated, for her duplex villa in Seoul was rented (vs. owned) and her BMW leased while the old domestic car she owned was used by her brother . their blog also recounts the relationship between rich conglomerate men and actresses .

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[March 26th update] what a contrast on the speed of investigation inflicted by the police conerning the two scandals in South Korea : the political bribery case of Park, Yeon Cha LIST versus this sex bribery suicide of Jang, Ja Yeon LIST . the former case having started earlier last year are now getting down to arresting administrators involved while this Jang, Ja Yeon case is advancing in a turtle pace with more vague statements mumbled by the police . (a good example is that the police have NOT investigated the former office of Jang’s former agency, which relocated last November . it was only after the media revealed the questionable building with a bar on the ground floor and a deluxe sleeping suite intact with a large bath and patio, that the police lately check it, probably after all the evidence was gone) some media suggest this is in fact politics where more of the accuseable are up on Jang‘s LIST than Park’s . but again the police are moving into both major political parties in Park’s case .

though not much are being uncoverd by yesterday’s interrogation of Jang, Ja Yeon’s former agent yesterday, more testimonies arise from those close to her : this time from 8 employees at her problematic agency :

1. president of this agency liked serving his customers . talents including Jang went to serve at Karaoke Bars and Sushi Restaurants, but he prefered to serve at this building, where Jang could be seen running between 1st and 3rd floors .
2. he often called Jang to serve at these places as well as to accompany him overseas mostly Japan and Thailand . he was secretive as to reserve and pay for flights by himself directly, where usually he left first and Jang followed after .
3. recently he had been increasingly abusive towards Jang, for example hitting her when she went over her hair salon pay limit .
4. the employees worried how Jang could continue to withstand this, but was relieved when she was cast for “Boys Over Flowers” to begin airing in January 2009 .
5. last year most of the talents belonging to this agency gradually left, leaving only Jang, Ja Yeon .
6. the president announced he is quitting the entertainment business and left for Japan last November – where in fact he flew to Japan on December 2nd following sexual molestation charges by a male talent .

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[April 10th update]
in the midst of South Korea going through one of the hardest economic crisis after full-development in the nineties, yes, comparable to the dreadful IMF . five news are main topic in recent month (in the order of happenings):

1. chairman Park, Yeon Cha LIST made of political bribery in high-ranking administrators speading to both major parties,
2. new actress Jang, Ja Yeon LIST consisting sex bribery in Korean Entertainment Industry,
3. WBC World BaseBall Classic finals between Japan vs.Korea,
4. figure skater Kim, Yuna’s fateful match against Japanese Mao, Asada,
5. North Korea’s launching game of neuclear-capable rockets guised as satelites,

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although the top two LISTS above are similar and different in many ways, the difference in the pace of investigation was seen onset as political . but because the latter is entering into arrests on both parties, it may now be the case of taking sides . furthermore, legally, it is more easier to track money transfers than sex meetings in secluded hotels, abroad .

for what it’s worth, concerning this Jang, Ja Yeon case : the police is arresting her former manager as well as aggressive indictment of her current manager hiding in Japan . they did investigate a part of her LIST, mostly in the entertainment industry tier, staying clear of the prominent names of large conglomerate companies in her LIST . they, the police even tried a TV-type name-it-or-lose-it game : announcing they will reveal all the names on the LIST then retracting it merely 7 hours later .

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[ June 30th supplement ]
as investigation into her suicide has been clouded over by the “other” scandalous LIST – the Park, Yeon Cha LIST of political bribery, which was in the end pointing at former President Roh, Moo Hyun and resulting in his suicide a month ago ..

now almost 4 months since her suicide, the sole person who may well know what /really/ went on – president of Jang’s former agency, in hiding in Japan all this time – is announced today to be deported to South Korea for investigation . on receiving information that he will be meeting with someone at a certain hotel, Japanese police have arrested him on-site . while in South Korea BunDang Police have announced Kim, age 40 will be extradited via InCheon Airport (serving the Capital of Seoul) on flight departing Narita Airport (serving Tokyo) on 12:55pm coming July 3rd.

while many await his testimony to reveal much about her suicide and the elusive sexual favours shadowed in the entertainment industry .. in Korea, as many older countries with history of endless conflicts .. some things never make it to the top AND out in the open, for people and industries are used to the many facades necessary for surviving in a conquered country, or under harsh military regime //

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[ August 19th finale ] a young new actress‘ suicide which almost ignited a nation-wide (although some “services” are told to be held in nearby S.E. Asia) sex scandal in the Korean entertainment industry is now over with one person going to trial for violence AND threat . local media have termed this result as a Chinese proverb saying “Dragon’s Head and Snake’s Tail” (looks BIG up-front but is slim behind).

late actress Jang, Ja Yeon‘s former manager who has been extradited from Japan will go to trial alone . but other “suspects” who were said to have been on her “list” of those who may have “forced” her into sex, have been released due to lack of evidence . this comes from witnesses who were at her said “serving sessions” at hostess liquor bars who testified Jang did NOT serve drinks (which is customary for a lower person to a higher person for respect AND favours). the prosecution pointed to whether Jang was “forced” to attend these sessions and if so eventually into sex – for the possibility remains she might have attended to further her career . and the investigation has been with one hand tied behind, for the main witness was dead AND her written notes were vague .

so the next time you see a  bright new talent whether male or female, wonder for a moment whether he or she may be on the “sponsorship” game .

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and 2 years there-after ..
[ March 16th 2011 Surprising Turn-About that Jang, Ja Yeon Letter may be Fake ]
National Forensic Service has announced this morning that the hand-writing in the initial letter of Jang, Ja Yeon is NOT hers !?

Korea NFS has come to this conclusion after comparing five of her notebooks (no, NOT laptops but the paper-bound ones you actually /write/ on)
however noted that Korean grammar errors were common between the two .

they added that the real writer is NOT known, but may be doings of a mentally distrupt Mr.Jeon, who evidently did NOT have any personal connection with the late Jang .

(the crucial point is this) therefore the police has announced they will NOT re-investigate Jang, Ja Yeon‘s suicide .
this comes at a time when increasing voices were calling the police re-investigate her said-suicide .

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this might be the same unrevealed person I mentioned briefly on March 23rd update above
and a grim reflection of his delusional mental state in believing to be in close relationship with famous entertainers .

• boasted to fellow inmates that he is the son of the 5th wife of Mr.J, the richest casino millionaire in Korea,
• and born in Macao then came to Korea at age 6,
• confided to his prison-mate of 2 months in 2009 and since released,
  that he met (Jang) Ja Yeon when a child and has been like brother and sister since .
• and that she has been sending him letters of agony before she died, and he is keeping them .
• boasted that Jang, Ja Yeon visited him along with a trustee aproximately 12 times since he was in prison from May 2003
  (but the prison stated they do NOT have any records of such)

compared to what the police have investigated on him :

• born in KangJin in JeonRaNamDo Province,
• dropped out of industrial high school in KwangJu City,
• 1999 : sentenced to 4 years in prison on rape charges,
• upon release raped again a wife within 3 months then arrested into KwangJu prison on May 2003,
• violence onto a guard added a year and 8 months to his sentence,
• has receive mental check-up 3 times in 2006, 2007 and 2009,
  and recorded as a delusional victim who has nightmares and have a hard time controlling exitement,

and some facts that led investigators to reach this conclusion :

• roughly 300 media scraps of Jang, Ja Yeon has been found with him,
• has inquired guards as well as visiters to search news related to Jang, Ja Yeon,
• and after learning about her, has begun writing 5~6 letters a day .
  in doing so, may have practiced her hand-writing from documents released in the media .

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[ March 17th 2011 update : again NOT all is What is Seems ]

more voices are appealing that the police has to continue investigation of Jang, Ja Yeon‘s suicide
siting another conspiracy theory that this revelation that her letter is a fake
stem from fear of revealing powerful men listed in Mr.Jeon’s letters .

a list of CEO and high-ranking directors come to show among conglomerate company, bank AND a daily newspaper .
that the investigors only glance through the top
as the original investigation of Jang, Ja Yeon‘s suicide brought 20 or so officials sued by her family
but in the end only two directly involved with her entertainment management were arrested .

current state of big money paying for sex to beginning entertainers is NOT new
for bribery was wide-spread in the early days of all industry building up from the Korean War
where for example starting (fashion AND ad) models PAID to get jobs, thus need the money .

more-so in the material World post millennium when many other have struck rich by sheer investing in prospect land
it is NOT uncommon for an aspiring starlet to ask for a “sponsor” even before signing up with an entertainment agency .

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[ March 23rd 2011 Update ] Court Battle Begins

as Jang, Ja Yeon‘s former Entertainment Company President Kim goes to court
the Defense insisted on verification of the creation routes of her dying will
accusing it may have been to be used as a threat by her former Manager Yoo, Jang Ho through a known actress Lee, Mi Sook
(so that Jang can leave Kim’s management and switch into his)

at the time it is said that the already established actress of Lee, Mi Sook AND Song, Sun Mi were contemplating to switch management agency from Kim‘s to Yoo‘s newly formed Hoya Entertainment .

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[ November 30th 2011 Update ] Chosun Daily Newspaper looses Suit against MBC Television and Senators

one of the oldest South Korean Newspaper Chosun had sued among

• MBC Munwha Broadcasting Company, South Korea’s second Television Channel,
• its Kyung Min SHIN anchor,
• Senators Jong Geol LEE and Jung Hee LEE

on false reports thus damaging their reputation on hinting the alledged “JANG Ja-Yeon” List (of those who might have receive sexual favours) included their company owner or executives .

allegation stated :

1. the Television Channel broadcasted that a prominent newspaper (Chosun) chief executive may be called to the investigation (for W1,600,000,000 damage),
2. and the Senators spoke as if a certain executive of Chosun was involved in the sex-service scandal (for W1,000,000,000 damage),

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[ July 18th 2012 Update ] no news means that related parties alive would have now settled out-of-court . but again her dying testament re-surfaces on another scandal, namely : Ms.Lee, Mi Sook mentioned on our last March 23rd Update above – an elder, established actress whose own lawsuits are ensuing for 3 1/2 years .

1. on January 2009 Ms.Lee left her management agency The Contents Entertainment, to contract with Hoya
2. Contents then sued Ms.Lee for breach of contract, for 200 Million Won
3. Ms.Lee contested it was a mutual agreement
4. the court decided Ms.Lee pay half of that .
5. Contents sued again revealing during her divorce in 2006 she had an extra-marital affair with a younger student from a host-bar, and spent substantial sum managing the situation .
6. this became a media scandal and Ms.Lee sued the main reporter for a Billion Won .
7. as court battle and news ensued, another reporter claimed Ms.Lee made Jang, Ja Yeon‘s dying will to cover / relax her elevating scandal – as she told Mr.Yoo (who at the time worked for Contents, eventually to set up his own Hoya Management Agency)

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alas, the /older/ side of Korean glamour .. and scandal

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( April 2013 Update ) a good FOUR years after JANG, Ja-Yeon’s death : a local Korean movie portraying her suicide has been released – surprising the insiders led such scandal out in the open, yet understandable for its miniscule popularity at theatres led it straight onto paid movie-sharing sites . over-all the story-line and filming is B-movie material . some similarities as well as differences :

• she dies from over-dose lying in bed, rather than hanging, perhaps to portray a more “clean” death for the screen,
• main evil here to testify is the president of a newspaper – alike alleged testimonials, with almost soft-core porn scenes riding her with her tied in chains AT a room salon (where businessmen come to drink, served by hostesses) .

other than that : it is too obvious over-kill the lead prosecutor is female, herself a victim of rape by a relative – portrayed .

stealing the scene is LEE, Doh-Ah herself a new actress, as a colleague actress in the same talent management agency who testifies at court to what happened at the room salon above – who resembles JANG, Ja-Yeon more that its starlet MIN, Ji-Hyeon . she was an office girl, who took acting jobs part-time before turning actress recently .