Entertainment: Mukbang Star Ziyang Exposes a Dark Tale of Abuse, Exploitation, and Convenient Suicide by Former Agency Head
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| YouTuber Ziyang's old videos are resurfacing after she said she was assaulted, exploited, and threatened by her ex-boyfriend for four years. pic/YouTube capture |
This article is a textbook example of South Korea's modern-day slave labor, filled with assaults, exploitation, rapes, and other heinous crimes. Yet, despite all this, a mukbang creator manages to amass 10 million subscribers. Can she thrive amidst all this victimization and trauma? Absolutely. Koreans seem to have an uncanny knack for getting traumatized and victimized, almost as if they revel in it. Five thousand years of a slave labor legacy still going strong. If you want Korean entertainers to perform, just crack the whip.
Ziyang, the popular mukbang creator with 10 million subscribers, dropped a bombshell confession: for the past four years, she was assaulted and exploited by her former agency head, Mr. A. The cherry on top? Mr. A conveniently died during the investigation.
On the 12th, Ziyang’s lawyer, Kim Tae-yeon, chimed in on her video explanation, outlining the litany of legal cases Ziyang had filed against Mr. A: settlement claims, contract termination, trademark disputes, and criminal charges including rape, assault, and intimidation.
Mr. A, in a desperate bid for mercy, crawled to Ziyang's company and begged for leniency, promising to keep his mouth shut. Unsurprisingly, he broke his promise, prompting Ziyang to press charges again. Faced with mounting criminal charges and a likely sentence exceeding five years, Mr. A opted for the coward’s way out—suicide—leading to the case being conveniently closed with a “no prosecution” decision.
Attorney Kim earnestly hoped there would be no baseless accusations or misunderstandings and that the bereaved family wouldn't suffer any secondary damage. How touching.
This sordid affair was first exposed by the Channel Garosero Research Institute (Ga Se-yeon) on October 10, revealing that a group called “Rekka Union” attempted to extort Ziyang for millions by threatening to expose her past. The gang included YouTubers Hwang Chul-soon, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Caracula, and Crocodile—truly a who's who of online lowlifes.
In a live broadcast, Ziyang detailed her harrowing experiences with Mr. A, including dating violence and illegal filming. He took her to his workplace under the guise of just needing to pour drinks, leading her to briefly work at a bar, only for him to pocket all her earnings.
After enduring ongoing threats and assaults even after her YouTube debut, Ziyang finally filed a lawsuit against Mr. A, but with his death, the case was closed. Justice served? Hardly.