The BBC World Service's investigative team, BBC Eye, has released a powerful and revealing documentary titled "Burning Sun," which delves into the notorious Burning Sun Scandal that rocked the South Korean entertainment industry in 2019.

The documentary brings to light many previously unknown aspects of the scandal, reigniting public outrage and scrutiny towards the implicated K-Pop idols.

The Burning Sun Scandal first emerged in January 2019, centering around the Burning Sun nightclub in Seoul.

The scandal uncovered a sordid web of illegal activities, including drug distribution, sexual assault, and police corruption.

BBC posted a docu abt burning sun scandal with unreleased videos & messages between sngri, JJY & choi jnghoon🤢
The reporter who published the case said she also got a call from Hara saying she wants to help :( Hara was the one who confirmed the “police” who was part of the GC… pic.twitter.com/Hko3a6Ch5H

— 드닝 (@gol3naotc) May 19, 2024

At the heart of the controversy were prominent K-Pop stars such as Seungri, a former member of the globally renowned group Big Bang, and singer Jung Joon Young.

Jung was convicted and sentenced to prison for secretly filming and sharing videos of women without their consent in group chats, a crime that horrified fans and non-fans alike and severely damaged the reputation of the Korean entertainment industry.

Jung Joon Young also got his 6-year sentence reduced to 5 and is now out of prison. His other accomplice Seungri has been out of prison for years and is back in the entertainment industry partying like nothing happened and still has some BigBang fans claiming he was framed. pic.twitter.com/qAAHzjTYxz

— LATwice (@EverglowInLA) May 19, 2024

The BBC documentary has not only revisited these grim details but also brought forth new revelations that have sparked renewed public outrage.

Among those drawn back into the scandal's spotlight is singer Zico, who was previously mentioned in connection with Jung Joon Young.

Zico is Jung Joon-Young's friend. Zico is accused of being a supporter of his friend's videos.
He directly involved as he wasn't invited into the groupchat but it is said that he goes into Jung Joon-Hyung's house and beggs for his managers phone. (which apparently has the videos) pic.twitter.com/R4iQQS3qq4

— anhydrous dirt (@hmmngbrds) March 11, 2019

In a 2016 appearance on a variety show, Zico mentioned that Jung possessed a "golden phone," used exclusively for the messaging app KakaoTalk. Jung added that Zico would often visit his house and scroll through this phone.

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Given that the scandal involved the sharing of illicit videos through KakaoTalk chatrooms, many netizens have linked Zico's comments to Jung's criminal activities, suspecting that Zico might have been aware of the misconduct.

"He has a Golden Phone. It's not his regular phone. He only uses it for KakaoTalk. He has a lot of contacts on it," - Zico

When the scandal broke out three years later, Zico vehemently denied any knowledge or involvement in Jung's crimes.

READ MORE: Zico's Shocking Reaction to Jennie's Solo Music Revealed - 'Everything About Her Is...'

"The phone that I mentioned on the show had nothing to do with this unfortunate case. All I saw on that phone was a list of phone numbers, and I haven't contacted Jung Joon Young on a personal level in a very long time. Please don't make any rash assumptions, and regarding the malicious comments and spreading of false information, I will take strong actions against them," - Zico

Despite his denial, suspicion lingered, especially after Zico released a song in September 2019 titled "Extreme," in which a particular line drew significant attention: "I've never seen a video like that, swear to god." This lyric led many to question his assertions once more, interpreting it as a potential admission of awareness about the scandalous videos.

The BBC documentary has brought these issues to the forefront again, leading many netizens to demand a fresh investigation into Zico's possible involvement.

since we’re on the topic of burning sun again, i need the “zico golden phone” case reopened so i stop seeing all these praise tweets about him thank you 😊🫶

— sky (@mongtoni) May 19, 2024

Critics argue that his reference to the "golden phone" cannot be easily dismissed and calls for a thorough probe to clear any doubts.

need this case reopened and zico's golden phone investigated properly this time cos the way his disgusting ass does shit and walks freely unscathed every single time is sick https://t.co/rpLXIFa3du

— 🎀 (@KTHVlBES) May 19, 2024

However, there are also many who defend Zico, pointing out that none of the official investigations have implicated him in the scandal.

They argue that the "golden phone" Zico referred to contained only a list of contacts and not the incriminating videos.

Supporters emphasize that Zico's fascination with the phone was due to the impressive contact list it contained, rather than any nefarious content.

As someone who actively investigating the scandals, I believe she wouldn’t do challenge or support the artists that is related to the scandal in any way. She also wrote multiple articles praising zico’s work even after the scandal.

2. “Golden phone” mentioned in Radio star in… pic.twitter.com/RqG9pItQXm

— AND, mina (@taesanwon) May 20, 2024

ALSO READ: Why Did ZICO Avoid BTOB Member for Nearly a Decade? Yook Sungjae Spills the Beans

KpopStarz owns this article.
Written by Cassidy Jones.