Several celebrities recently expressed support for a movement to stop sexual harassment online.
Following reports of the presence of pay-to-view Telegram group conversations, including that of the so-called "Nth Room," this underlying problem has accumulated greater attention where women (which include minors) have been blackmailed and extorted to provide sexually exploited video clips and photos.
Previously, several stars pledged support for the petition to expose identities of perpetrators of "Nth room."
F(x)'s Luna, Jeong Sewoon, and Park Joo Ho reportedly posted pictures of themselves engaging in a new campaign, combating sexual harassment online to raise public awareness.
The movement was being coordinated by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of South Korea.
Luna uploaded a picture of herself on May 12, holding up a sign that states the hashtag, "The right to be safe." Her message reads, "Hi, this is Luna. To make sexual abuse and violence vanish online! For a better and safe tomorrow for each and every one of us! No one is going to be left behind. We all have our right to be safe. Let's do this all as one!
She also attached the hashtags, "I will not forget," "Stop sexual harassment online," and "Eliminate sexual offenses online." Luna also provided a link for downloading the "clean hand badge" so that others can fully participate and engage in the movement.
Singer Jeong Sewoon also participated in this movement, sharing a photograph penned on his hand with the hashtag, "The right to be safe."
His message reads, "For the abolishment of pornographic acts of violence and crimes online. Nothing will improve if we don't change."
He included the "Freedom to be protected" hashtags and the "Stop sexual harassment online."
Soccer star Park Joo Ho (who was featured on "The Return of Superman" with his kids) has posted a similar photograph to take part in the movement. His caption says, "Hello everyone, this is Joo Ho Park. To ake sexual abuse and violence vanish online! For much safer and better days ahead for us where no one is left behind! Let us do this together."
The "Nth Room" case is a criminal proceeding in South Korea around 2018 and 2020, concerning extortion, online sex trafficking, and the dissemination of sexually provocative images and footages through the Telegram app. A man called "God God" marketed videos of sexual harassment on telegram networks and communities.
A clone case, identified as the "Doctor's Room," was committed by an individual that used the pseudonym Doctor (Baksa), later identified as Cho Joo Bin, who is guilty of blackmailing hundreds of women, pressuring them to capture sexually provocative images and film themselves, while other footages involve rape.
There are at least 103 verified victims, comprising 26 minors.
By performing undercover journalism in January 2019, the Seoul Shinmun discovered that there was a hidden Telegram room that distributed child pornographic material. Similarly, Sisa Journal released in August 2019 that Telegram had been used as a criminality forum for the distribution of illicit images and videos.
The Electronic Times was the very first media agency to publish "The Nth Room" on August 12. The case had now brought tremendous social effects and public fury.
