Recent developments have reawakened concerns regarding the involvement of KBS - (Korean Broadcasting System is the national public broadcaster of South Korea, known for producing a wide range of content including news, entertainment shows, and dramas) in the illegal filming scandal involving former '1 Night 2 Days' star Jung Joon-young. This issue came back to light following a BBC documentary titled "Burning Sun: The Women Who Exposed K-Pop Stars' Secret Chat Rooms," which revisited the events of the so-called 'Burning Sun Gate' that transpired between 2018 and 2019.

During the scandal, Jung Joon-young was accused of illegally filming a sexual encounter with a woman identified only as Ms. A, who initially reported him due to fears of the video being leaked. This led to his temporary departure from the show in 2016. However, the charges were later dropped, and Ms. A withdrew her complaint after being allegedly pressured by a lawyer associated with KBS, as per journalist Park Hyo-sil's investigation featured in the BBC documentary.

Park revealed in an interview with BBC that the lawyer contacted Ms. A, warning her about the potential consequences of insufficient evidence, which could lead to a false accusation charge against her. According to Park, this fear prompted Ms. A to withdraw her lawsuit.

While Jung returned to '1 Night 2 Days' just four months later as a perceived victim receiving public support, the case didn't end there. Further investigations into 'Burning Sun Gate' revealed Jung's involvement in more severe crimes, including the alleged group sexual assault of intoxicated women in 2016, alongside former FT Island member Choi Jong-hoon.

The revelations led to Jung's arrest and subsequent conviction, where he initially received a six-year prison sentence in November 2019. This was later reduced to five years in an appeal in 2020, a sentence that was upheld by the Supreme Court. Jung completed his sentence and was released in March of this year.

The allegations have sparked a fresh wave of scrutiny on social media, with netizens speculating whether KBS's legal team had intervened to protect its flagship program and its star. However, KBS has firmly denied these claims, stating to Ilgan Sports that "any involvement of KBS's legal affairs in the matter is completely unfounded."

The scandal and its ongoing fallout continue to cast a long shadow over Korean entertainment, highlighting the complex interplay between celebrity culture, legal systems, and media ethics.

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