Two female journalists in South Korea, Park Hyo-sil and Kang Kyung-yoon, found themselves in the eye of a storm when they uncovered a sex scandal involving a famous K-pop star, Jung Joon-young. What started as a pursuit of truth led to unimaginable personal sacrifices for these women.

It all began in September 2016 when Park, a reporter based in Seoul, received a tip-off from a police source regarding a high-profile case involving Jung Joon-young and secretly recorded sex footage. Without hesitation, Park canceled her plans and rushed back to the office to break the story, not realizing the magnitude of what was to follow.

As soon as the news hit the headlines, media outlets across South Korea went into a frenzy. Jung’s management team tried to downplay the scandal, labeling it as an insignificant incident blown out of proportion by the press. However, the backlash was swift, with Jung’s fans accusing his girlfriend of falsehoods and turning their anger towards Park.

What ensued was a wave of online abuse and threats directed at Park. She faced a barrage of hateful messages, images of herself were shared and insulted online, and even death threats were made against her and her family. The situation escalated to a point where Park was bombarded with thousands of messages daily, leading to immense mental stress and ultimately resulting in two miscarriages, leaving her childless.

The toll of revealing the K-pop scandal was not just limited to Park. Kang Kyung-yoon, the other journalist involved, also faced personal challenges as a consequence of their investigative journalism. The sacrifices made by these women shed light on the harsh realities and risks faced by journalists in pursuit of the truth.

Despite the personal turmoil and sacrifices endured, Park and Kang’s bravery in uncovering the scandal serves as a reminder of the importance of investigative journalism in holding individuals and institutions accountable, even in the face of adversity.