Kang continued to investigate, and after gathering enough evidence, she published a report exposing the behavior of chat group members, including Jung, Choi, and Seungri.
This time, things are different. Once Kang’s story broke, the authorities acted quickly, and Jung was the first person arrested.
This encouraged other victims to come forward and press charges against the star.
It takes a lot of strength. When Zheng’s girlfriend first reported him in 2016, his victims witnessed the public backlash against him.
But as justice was served, online trolls unleashed multiple “unfathomable personal attacks” on Kang.
“I was pregnant at the time, right? So they called me a bitch. A pregnant bitch. A left-wing bitch,” Kang said.
“This is my first successful pregnancy in nearly five years of marriage, so I am very scared, afraid that something will happen to the child. My heart is very lonely and exhausted.”
Kang said the “most shocking” comments “I can’t even name” were made toward her children during a campaign of harassment that lasted three years, but said, “I have no regrets.”
Jo Elfving-Hwang, associate professor of Korean society and culture at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, said that in the process of exposing K-pop stars, Park and Kang basically experienced “the same violence” that silenced victims and made them ” I feel unable to speak.”
She said talking about gender inequality in South Korea could be “very divisive” and that misogyny – hatred of women – was a core issue for victims and journalists.
