Episode 372: K-pop Idol Goo Hara Helped Expose the BURNING SUN Sex Scandal In Her Final Days

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A young man calls the police around 3:30 am to report that he had just been physically assaulted by his ex-girlfriend. Officers are dispatched and the caller greets them with a few red scratches on his face. He had gone over to his ex-girlfriend’s apartment to break up with her—but that’s when she went crazy; scratching his face and twisting his arm. The officers ask the man for her name.

Goo Hara. A K-pop idol from the girl group KARA.

When the police begin investigating, the man’s story begins to fall apart. If what he’s saying is true, why is there CCTV footage of Goo Hara on her knees—seemingly begging the young man? Why did he email Dispatch, a Korean tabloid, twice during this so-called ‘one sided assault?’ And what does all of this have to do with Burning Sun?

A couple of months pass, and Goo Hara helps reporters blow the lid off the Burning Sun case.

Not even a year later, she is found dead.

This is part two of Burning Sun.

Full Source Notes: rottenmangopodcast.com

Sources

BBC Korean: https://www.bbc.com/korean/articles/cpeg34vlk3yo

BBC English: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-69020490

BBC Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001n9kv

CCTV Post September ‘18 Incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3zI-3OH5wA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpkjHaUhCjI&list=PLLc6utKTwtp55dF_GcRYM0U-q9h1nqTFR&index=5

Brother Hoin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIQECh8Uhk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5kyPneT6js

Safe suspect and friend: https://youtu.be/7wgPtMFrQoY?si=SvMijTCboc8H-_Ud

Footage of man breaking into her house and stealing her safe:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8YGz8S30Xo&list=PLLc6utKTwtp55dF_GcRYM0U-q9h1nqTFR&index=9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1oBxrEtb5s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ymEPcpaSNQ

https://www.news1.kr/articles/?3808064 

Goo Hara dancing back in the early 2010s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viyfu0Ju2C8

Goo Hara’s Weibo: https://weibo.com/u/5509625679

Goo Hara’s Twitter: https://x.com/_sweethara 

Official Fanpage for Goo Hara: https://www.facebook.com/Official.HaraGoo.KARA/ 

Animal Volunteer Tweet: https://twitter.com/ekara_org/status/1198868866367029248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1198868866367029248%7Ctwgr%5E783e030a945351e6eec5d52abb22d293937e2dba%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.koreaboo.com%2Fnews%2Fkorea-animal-rights-advocates-shares-heartwarming-story-goo-haras-love-animals%2F 

https://pann.nate.com/talk/348386041

Goo Hara instagram post about being in the public eye all the time: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvsc0EEF4Tu/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=a7b2f144-0c3a-406e-b441-dc3df5dcd661

Instagram Live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-3or_OggMM&list=PLLc6utKTwtp55dF_GcRYM0U-q9h1nqTFR&index=4

Seungri in Cambodia: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5HR3HGyZxg&list=PLLc6utKTwtp55dF_GcRYM0U-q9h1nqTFR&index=8

Blackpink and Seungri interacting on a reality show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ErQC88MWk

Seungri Crochet: tweet link

Longer clip of Seungri crocheting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoA770lJ43U 

Seungri saying “f you all” at Cambodia fan meet: cellphone vid on twitter

JJY coming back to Korea after the Burning Sun scandal breaks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-hyc0UNdx8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZ0N_4ek27o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=n5HR3HGyZxg&list=PLLc6utKTwtp55dF_GcRYM0U-q9h1nqTFR&index=9

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Production Note:

Rotten Mango has not done original reporting on this case. The stories are based on existing material (listed in show notes).

The RM team works hard to make sure everything you’re listening to is as accurate as possible and we try to use multiple sources to verify the facts. Creative liberties may be taken in certain cases during the presentation of the case. Please email us at rottenmangop@gmail.com if you have any questions!