A rental car owner blackmailed a K-pop idol couple.
He used their private dashcam footage for extortion.
The court gave him a suspended prison sentence.
A shocking and unsettling piece of news has emerged from the K-pop world, reminding everyone of the intense lack of privacy idols face. The scandal, which has now concluded in a courtroom, didn't involve the idols themselves being penalized, but rather the perpetrator of a severe invasion of their privacy.
It all revolves around two idols, whose identities remain a tightly guarded secret, and a moment of physical intimacy that was illegally used against them. The incident came to light after a rental car company owner attempted to blackmail the female idol with footage captured by the vehicle's black box camera. Here's a deep dive into how the events unfolded and the legal outcome for the blackmailer.
Source:freepik/pvproductions
The Idol Couple's Private Moment and the Blackmail Scheme
The entire troubling episode began in February 2024. A female idol, identified only as "B" in court documents, rented a van from a company owned by an individual referred to as "A." After she returned the vehicle, A took it upon himself to review the footage from the car's dashcam, or "black box." What he discovered was a goldmine for extortion: clear video of the female idol engaging in physical affection with a member of a well-known male idol group in the back seat of the van.
Instead of deleting the private footage, A devised a malicious plan. He contacted the terrified female idol directly, launching his attack with a pointed text.
"What did you do in the back seat yesterday? Isn’t that too much?"
He then escalated the threat, specifically naming the man’s idol group to show he knew exactly who was involved.
"If you won’t admit it even after this, then there’s nothing we can do," he continued.
His financial demand was brazen hwich is, "The car cost about 47 million KRW, give me half for starters."
The threats did not stop after the first payment. Even after receiving money from the victim on two separate occasions, A contacted her again days later, sinisterly referencing the recording device.
"It records in real time, all the way through."
This was a clear implication that the footage would be publicly shared if the payments ceased. Living in fear of the video leaking and causing a massive scandal, the victim ultimately transferred a total of approximately 9.79 million KRW (around $7,300 USD) across three payments.
Source: freepik/freepik
The Legal Reckoning for the Rental Car Owner
The blackmail scheme, of course, had serious legal consequences for the rental car operator. The owner, A, was investigated and subsequently charged with extortion under Korean law, which defines the crime as obtaining property through threats and can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison or a substantial fine.
The court found A guilty. On October 18, Judge Gong Woo Jin of the Incheon District Court sentenced A to eight months in prison. However, the sentence was suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of community service.
In delivering the verdict, the court noted several conflicting factors. It was pointed out that "the defendant is highly likely to be condemned as he committed the crime during his probation period," indicating this was not his first offense. However, the court also considered mitigating circumstances, stating that it had taken into account "the fact that most of the money had been returned," and that A "admitted the crime and expressed remorse." The sentence was ultimately determined by weighing the degree of coercion used against the victim and the total amount of money that was taken.
In conclusion, while justice was served against the blackmailer, the core mystery that has fueled public curiosity remains intact: the identities of the K-pop idol couple have still not been revealed, allowing them to continue their careers away from this traumatic invasion.
Source: Allkpop, Soompi, TV Report, OSEN, Newsen
My heart goes out to the poor idols involved. Stay strong! 
But you’re right, respecting their privacy is most important. Hope they’re getting lots of support from their fans and friends.