Ex-Kara Member Goo Ha-ra 'Victim of Revenge Porn'
Published on | Source
Goo Ha-ra, formerly of the girl band Kara, accuses her ex-boyfriend of threatening to post a sex tape of the two of them online.
Advertisement
Goo (27) and her ex-boyfriend, identified by his surname Choi (27), have been conducting a very public spat since Choi filed a police report on Sept. 13 claiming Goo assaulted him at her home.
On Sept. 27, Goo filed a counter-complaint against Choi for blackmailing her with a sex video after a gossip website reported the threat. The website said that Choi sent the video to her mobile phone saying, "I will end your career as an entertainer", and that Goo pleaded with him not to reveal it.
The news has caused an uproar among fans, especially women, with a petition calling for more severe punishment for revenge porn on the Cheong Wa Dae website last week drawing over 140,000 signatures in a day.
Filming and distributing photos or video of a lover without his or her consent carries a punishment of up to five years in prison or fine of up to W10 million (US$1=W1,130).
But Choi said in an interview on Friday, "It was Goo who initiated the filming. I never showed the video to anyone else but her". adding, "I sent it to her with the intention of ending our relationship. I thought she should keep it since it was her idea".
A police investigator said, "We will screen the contents of Choi's laptop and mobile phone, which have been confiscated". The investigator added, "We will look into how relevant the video is to the allegations and question him as well".
Feminist campaigners argue that even just sending a sex tape to a former lover with a threatening message constitutes sexual violence.