In response to earlier media outlet reports stating that an AfreecaTV BJ had extorted 840 million KRW from singer Kim Junsu through blackmail, the singer's agency Palmtree Island has stepped forward with an official statement.
On November 15 KST, Palmtree Island stated,
"Hello, this is Palmtree Island.
We would like to deliver our official statement regarding the recent reports about Kim Junsu.
Just as the reports indicated, 'A' recorded conversations with Kim Junsu while harboring illegal intentions and threatened to spread the recordings on SNS. 'A' even said, 'Kim Junsu did nothing wrong, but the truth of matter is that a celebrity's image suffers a fatal blow even with the publication of just one article, and since Kim Junsu cannot even appear on TV broadcasts, he has no means of recovering his image. Me, on the other hand, I have nothing to lose.'
Furthermore, simply due to the fact Kim Junsu is a celebrity, 'A' persisted with her threats while exploiting Kim Junsu's celebrity status as well as the pressure of the public's gaze, despite admitting that Kim Junsu was not at fault.
We would like to emphasize that Kim Junsu is clearly a victim in this case. Kim Junsu decided to pursue legal measures against 'A' after learning that 'A' had extorted money from numerous other victims, not just himself.
As this case is currently under review for the issuance of an arrest warrant, please understand that we cannot disclose more specific details at this time. We will issue a follow-up statement upon the conclusion of the investigation and trial. We hope that this case will be seen as an example that will raise awareness about the severity of crimes such as blackmail and extortion, and the agency also promises to press forward with a strong legal stance on the matter.
Finally, we once again stress that Kim Junsu is a clear victim in this ongoing case who did not commit any illegal acts or crimes.
Thank you."
Meanwhile, the recent news of Kim Junsu being a victim of blackmail and extortion has stirred up a buzz about the nature of the recording obtained by 'A'. K-netizens commented, "What kind of conversation did you have that you gave her 800 million KRW?", "I'd like to know what kind of conversation is worth 800 million KRW", etc.
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