Park Yu-chun: a sexual predator disguised as K-pop star?

Singer Park Yu-chun is under police investigation over rape allegations. / Courtesy of Yonhap

By Lee Jin-a, Park Si-soo

A third rape allegation against Park Yu-chun was made Friday, one day after a second rape case hit the 30-year-old K-pop star.

Police said the third victim filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station, claiming the singer raped her in the bathroom of his house in June 2014.

All these nasty scandals surrounding the musician have surfaced in just one week, although the first victim dropped her allegation, Wednesday, saying that the sex with Park was “voluntary,” not coerced. The singer has strongly denied any behind-the-scene deal to settle the case.

No matter what the truth may be, the first woman’s braveness inspired two others to speak out about their nightmarish experiences. Taking scandals erupting one after another into account, an increasing number of people don’t rule out the possibility that there could be more victims who are still too embarrassed to come forward.

Park’s agency C-JeS Entertainment has vehemently denied the rape allegations against him. It said the singer will fully cooperate with a police investigation to get to the bottom of the cases and, if the allegations turn out to be groundless, he will file a countersuit against the victims for undermining his reputation with malicious intent. Police have launched a special team to investigate the high-profile cases.

C-JeS said Friday that Park will file a complaint against the first alleged victim Monday, demanding she be questioned for defamation and blackmail.

After the second complaint was filed, Park said he will “leave the K-pop scene forever” should any of the allegations be proven.

Meanwhile, the K-pop star is facing increasing pressure to leave the K-pop scene.

Since the second rape allegation against him erupted Thursday, tens of thousands of fans at home and abroad have openly announced their withdrawal of support for him.

An online fan community of JYJ officially withdrew its support for Park Friday.

“As of today, we will only support Kim Jae-joong and Kim Jun-su of JYJ,” said DC Inside’s JYJ Gallery, referring to the band’s two other members. “We denounce Park for his action, and we will boycott all of his entertainment activities and content related to him.”

The first case arose last week after a bar hostess in her 20s filed a complaint against Park for sexually assaulting her in a restroom at an upscale bar in Gangnam, southern Seoul. She dropped the complaint early this week.

The second case came this week when another bar hostess filed a complaint with police, saying Park raped her in a restroom of another Gangnam bar.

Park, a member of three-member boy band JYJ, is serving his military duty as a public agent at a local district office in Seoul.

Park’s agency said the singer is in “a state of panic” over the scandals. He is “extremely shocked,” said C-JeS, offering an apology to JYJ and Park’s fans.