Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Things amazingly continue to look worse (for society) following the news that Burning Sun was raided and that authorities have expanded their investigation to other clubs in Gangnam, as now police have admitted they are considering an investigation into Seungri, the initial assault victim is suspected of having sexually harassed/assaulted a third woman, and arrests are already being made in connection to another club in Busan.
The thing that will grab the attention of most is that police have told the media that they are considering an investigation into Seungri due to his role with Burning Sun, which follows a search of an employee’s residence where multiple drugs were found, leading to them investigating the club’s other employees.
Police recently searched the house of a Burning Sun employee, Cho, who was suspected of taking drugs. The police found party drugs such as ecstasy, Happy Balloon (inhaled hallucinogenic substances in balloons), and ketamine, a psychotropic drug. Police are asking how Cho obtained the drugs and who he distributed them to. They have opened an investigation into Burning Sun employees involved in daily operations to determine whether they systematically sold drugs to customers at the Club.
A police official also mentioned for the first time that he might open an investigation into Big Bang member Seungri. The official said, “We are considering opening an investigation into Seungri as he was listed as the executive director of Burning Sun at the time. We have plans to expand the investigation to the entire Gangnam Club to include MD’s and directors.”
Important to note that this doesn’t seem specifically targeted at him so much as a part of the general probe, but it’s hard not to see the club’s further association with drugs and a potential investigation into Seungri’s role as a deepening of the controversy.
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As far as the alleged drug supplier, a search of her home netted police questionable substances.
Under these circumstances, a Chinese employee Anna, who was suspected of supplying drugs to VIP customers also had unknown liquids and white powder at her home. Police, who secured the unknown liquids and powders through a search and seizure have assigned the National Institute of Scientific Investigation to analyze the ingredients. They’ve also banned the suspect from leaving the country.
However, she claims the unknown liquids and white powder are innocuous and she’s being vilified by the media.
On an interview with KBS’ Channel A that was aired on the 18th, Anna, who is under police investigation for allegedly supplying drugs to Burning Sun completely denied the allegations saying she had never sold drugs. “It’s really unfair,”she said in the interview. “I don’t even smoke. I have never sold or given any drugs. The unidentified liquid seized from my home is merely cat eye medicine and the white powder is laundry detergent.” The police are reportedly conducting a thorough analysis of the confiscated goods.
I mean, we’ll find out soon enough, I suppose.
She also addressed the picture with Seungri that has led to speculation about his connection to the drugs, and she adds legitimacy to his claim that he didn’t know her and it was just a pic.
According to her, she has no special relationship with Seungri, the Burning Sun director, who had stepped down before the scandal broke out. “I took the picture with Seungri as a simple fan.” She remembers seeing him at the club and thinking, “Isn’t Seungri famous? Can I take a picture,” she had asked. “Take a picture,” Seungri replied, so she took it.
We’ll likely find out if they have any connection through the investigation. Skepticism that they don’t know each other is valid, but I think at least this is totally plausible.
Speaking of the police probe into clubs, it has already netted arrests, as five individuals associated with Arena were taken in by Busan police. So really it doesn’t even seem like a Gangnam specific thing at this point, but really just club culture in Korea, in general.
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Oh, and remember the guy who launched all this? The man who Burning Sun apologized to for assaulting but was also accused by two women of sexual harassment/assault (one of whom is the suspected drug supplier)? Well police are now considering charging him with a third case after viewing the video.
While investigating Mr. Kim, the man accused of sexual assault at the club, the police found another part in CCTV recordings that Mr. Kim might have committed a third count of sexual assault. It is not yet clear if the victim is the same as either of the two women who have currently filed claims against him. The police revealed that results from the National Forensic Service on CCTV examinations will be sent back to them between 25-27th, and the results would push the investigations faster. According to the police, Mr. Kim has two counts of sexual assault against him. He is accused of being caught by the guards trying to sexually assault two women, and assaulted the staff who tried to stop him. He was then hit by Mr. Chang, a ‘Burning Sun’ staff, and hit the trash can and cursed. He is also accused of spitting on and hitting the police on his arrest. However, Mr. Kim is saying that he was assaulted by the club members and tried to report it to the police, but the police arrested him instead and beat him.
Phew.
It’s a mess that’s getting difficult to sort through because of the sheer scope of it, but this honestly feels like just the start.
