Seungri and the shadow of 'Burning Sun': New allegations in Cambodia

Seungri / Xportsnews

Seungri, once one of the best-known K-pop stars and a former member of the idol group BigBang, was forced to retire after a massive scandal erupted in 2019.

The incident came to be known as the “Burning Sun” scandal and involved several celebrities and police officers. Seungri was among those implicated, accused of being one of the ring leaders.

Now allegations have emerged that he is pursuing another entertainment business in Cambodia.

Journalist Oh Hyuk-jin made the claims on Tuesday on his YouTube channel. Citing multiple tips, he said Seungri was attempting to join the nightlife industry and may be holding business-related discussions in Cambodia.

“He is making contacts with individuals linked to money laundering, voice phishing rings and casino operations,” Oh said, adding that there were reports of Seungri socializing with senior figures at so-called “crime compounds” in Cambodia.

Those compounds are locations where organized criminal groups are believed to run voice phishing operations, luring job seekers from South Korea, Japan and China and subjecting them to coercion and abuse to force them to carry out scams when they arrive. When the existence of the compounds came to light, public outrage triggered internationally coordinated police operations that led to the arrest of key figures behind the networks.

“The recent crackdowns led to the arrest of many involved, leaving the project’s prospects unclear,” Oh said. “But Seungri, for whom it has become nearly impossible to remain in Korea due to hostile public sentiment, still retains a following in Japan and is trying to leverage his image as a former BigBang member in Southeast Asia.”

He added that Seungri has recently been traveling frequently to Thailand.

Seungri / Xportsnews

The controversy intensified after a video circulated online showing Seungri attending a club event in Cambodia, where he took the microphone to address the crowd.

“People tried to warn me when I said I was going to Cambodia,” Seungri is heard saying in the footage. “But I think Cambodia is the greatest country in Asia.”

In the videos, logos for Prince Brewing and Prince Holdings are visible behind him. Prince Holdings was later revealed to have managed a notorious site where abducted victims were forced to participate in phishing and other scams, and subjected to torture.

Prince Brewing, meanwhile, is understood to be one of the group’s affiliated brands. However, there is no direct business relationship confirmed between Seungri and the companies as of yet.

Chen Zhi, chairman of Prince Group, has been arrested and extradited to China. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, scam-related crimes in Southeast Asia alone caused estimated losses of between $18 billion and $37 billion in 2023, highlighting the scale of the illicit economy.

After the “Burning Sun” scandal came to light, Seungri left BigBang and terminated his contract with YG Entertainment. He was eventually convicted on nine charges, including arranging prostitution, embezzlement, habitual gambling and violations of foreign exchange laws, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He was released in 2023.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.