This latest scandal out of K-ent is a combination bad decision, bad behavior, and lawbreaking all wrapped into one. 2014 really is a terrible year for K-ent and if the remaining celebs who haven’t tasted the downside of fame this year want to go into hibernation mode until 2015 then I would totally understand. News broke earlier this week that A-list movie star Lee Byung Hun was being blackmailed and reported it to the police. It was reportedly over a raunchy video recording made of the star drinking with younger women and cracking lewd jokes and sexual commentary. The blackmailers were the two women he drank with and they recorded the video while hanging out with him at his house that he lives with his wife Lee Min Jung, who reportedly was either out of town or out of the country at that time. Lee Byung Hun has denied the video was recorded at his home and claims it was at a restaurant.
The blackmailers demanded what amounts to $5 million US dollars for the video and would destroy it if he forked over the astronomical sum otherwise they would release it. I don’t know what deluded world the two blackmailers were in to think that a demand for such a high amount would ever be entertained for material that, if true, would at most paint Lee Byung Hun as a sleazy married dude being emotionally unfaithful to his wife. The rub is Lee Byung Hun’s reputation within Korea is hardly the most sterling to begin with and the video contents would at most be reinforcing some already prevalent opinions of him. Lee Byung Hun either decided it was too much to pay or didn’t care about the video being released, either way he reported the blackmailing young ladies and the police immediately issued arrest warrants. Turns out one is Dahee of the girl group GLAM (and also in the drama Monstar) while the other is still unnamed but is reportedly a young model.
Channel A got a hold of the video in question and posted some snippets of the so-called lewd convo that led to the two young women believing they could blackmail Lee Byung Hun with it. Among the things he said were: “When was your first sexual experience? What part of the male body turns you on? Do you like the face more or the body more?” As far as I know, none of what he said was illegal or crossing the line since the two young women are of age, but it is majorly inappropriate taking into account that Lee Byung Hun is married and over 20 years older than Dahee who is all of 20 years old this year. I would be skeeved out to have a much older man banter and query me about my sexual preferences over drinks. But coming across as skeevy does not mean Lee Byung Hun did anything that deserved getting blackmailed. I do wish K-ent celebs would start making better decisions all around in living their personal lives so that their dirty laundry isn’t aired all over the media in what feels like an every other week occurrence. Dahee has reportedly admitted her role in the blackmail while her co-conspirator is also being investigated. Both ladies can probably kiss their careers goodbye on account of trying to make a quick illegal buck.
His wife is so pretty! I thought he would change after marriage. Sigh… I love him so much as an actor.
Yes, she is indeed pretty. Her name is Lee Min Jung and she is a model and an amazing actress.
foolishness all around. especially from the pervy ahjussi who should know better and be more respectful of his wife. nasty ass
Very questionable line of thinking. Well she is only 20 after all and naivety (perhaps alcohol too?) have influenced her better judgement. In any case her career is pretty much over, and unfortunately for the rest of her fledgling idol group, they’re in it with the colateral damage as well.
LBH’s shenanigans is akin to that of what you would hear in casting couch interviews or just plain old sleazy guy. Still, I found it more as funny rather than incriminating at all. This hardly qualifies as blackmail material given the more serious allegations of the past few in k-ent industry.
No. The contents of the video are not released–maybe never will. Basically, LBH’s power spawned Korean major news outlets. The company LBH establishes also manipulates news coverages on one bullying case in military because Han Hyo Joo’s brother is involved. http://netizenbuzz.blogspot.com/2014/08/actress-retains-tight-control-over.html
LBH and his company basically is like mafia.
I wonder how Lee Min Jung feels right now. And I also wonder what must be going on at their household as of this moment. . .
As koala said, this is hardly his first brush with scandal; he’s done plenty of questionable things in the past, and has managed, with the “virtues” of extreme popularity and Mafia-esque management, to stay in the public good graces. As for Lee Min Jung, I am sure she knows all this and more, and I am assuming that she has come up with a way to accept and live with her husband, warts and all. She must have a very thick skin, have very large blinders on, or have discovered some secret inner trove of caring and goodness in her husband. Along with a bunch of rainbow-colored unicorns, perhaps.
Well, i suggest then that Dahee just pick a major that doesn’t have anything to do with theater and start over. She got lucky there considering the crime she’s committed.
what do u mean by she’s lucking? there are speculation she might get up to 5 years due to the astronomical amount she asked for
He’s gross, but still they were in the wrong for what they did. We don’t know the details of his marriage and while we can judge him morally for being a sleaze, he didn’t actually do anything illegal. They are just beyond stupid. Of all the people to blackmail, picking him was kind of baffling. He has a shit reputation already and is super rich and powerful. I do hope she doesn’t do much time though. If violent stalkers who beat their wives are let off with paying less than a 10k fine, stupid girls who didn’t harm anyone shouldn’t get much if there was any fairness in the world.
No. What LBH said to these two young girls crosses the line and constitutes sexual harassment. Even in Korea where sexism is a norm, there are some new regulations about verbal harassment. LBH is a pervert, using the most uncreative and obscene language to seduce girls. I never understand media hype about him. An International superstar? LOL. His role in GI JOE can be easily replaced by anyone who has an Asian face and six packs. Koreans are just too eager to get recognition from Hollywood so anyone who plays in Hollywood film can be a big shot.
The way LBH manipulates media makes me detest him even more. He is not an innocent victim-he made inappropriate speech to begin with. This incident again proves that Korea society remains extremely sexist and Korean entertainment industry is controlled by old boys club. Granted, black is a crime, but verbal harassment should not be easily excused as well. Not to mention that how many actresses have to provide free sex service in order to have a chance in the industry.
As Koala mentioned when LBH and LMJ got married, the gap in age and status is striking. Now, judging from the way LBH uses media to execute these two girls, there is no way for LMJ to break away from this marriage if she wants to. Or she just has to live blindly and continues to idolize LBH as she claimed in public. This marriage is a death trap for her and she made the choice herself. As expected, LBH will ask her to launder his image.
The biggest victim is LMJ. The rest are just consequence of their stupid actions.
Lee Min Jung is not a victim…she already knew before she married him what kind of dirtbag this guy is. Everyone in Korea knew all his scandals and etc…but she still chose to marry him.
Isn’t it most girls dream to reform a rake? She probably believed he will change for your relationship. But it seem not, ” A leopard will not change its spot.
She is a victim as she has to now suffer the embarassment and shame of a situation she plays no part in it. She may marry the wrong guy but no one deserved to be treated so badly.
True
Lee byung hun you scumbag good for nothing pervert your actions and words constitutes to sexual harassment , those bitches should also be held accountable with their actions
I never liked this guy or his acting. What’s with the rope to tie those girls? They roll out the red carpet for KHJ and the tie ropes on the girls like they are really going to hurt somebody.
My sentiments exactly!
How come they just being tied and arrested whereas KHJ and Park HY who insulted and have evidence of and already confessed beaten the girl is walking freely?
I’ve been wondering this for a while now, but can someone please explain to me what Koreans think of LBH and what his image is? I’ve never noticed a hype about him even though he’s taken part in a few Hollywood productions. For a country like Korea, which looks to me like a country with strong pride and without being shy of showing that pride openly and continually, I’ve always been confused about the silence surrounding LBH (or maybe there’s just no hype on international sites, I don’t know). Does anyone know?
I’m like you @latesleeper, I have no clues to LBH hype! all I know is that he has stared in GI Joe in Hollywood, and was a star in the original Iris and that Koreans love him as a famous actor/export.
What were two girls who are in the limelight and new to their respected industry doing out drinking with a very much older married man?
Pervy or not, alcohol always makes people say stupid things!!!
Its wrong to ask those questions especially from a married man to young women, but maybe he was genuinely curious about their answers! (his poor wife).
For those girls, this was a stupid act on their part, career wise they can kiss it goodbye! who’d want to be around them for fear of being the next victim of their blackmailing!
They have more to loose in this situation than he does. He comes across as a pervy guy, who may not be faithful to his marriage vows, but then that is something that he and his wife need to sort out, without the public needing to know.
I so don’t care to know about actors private lives, airing their dirty laundry in public is nasty. I guess thats why I’ not soo clued in on any actors hype!
i’d rather know about their acting and their roles, and if they were any good in said drama or movie portraying said role. if they chose a good role or was their acting skills a failure for said role. that’s why we watch dramas and movies, not because of their private live shenanigans!!!!
He did star in that critically acclaimed I Saw the Devil and that other sageuk which I forgot the name is.
Agreed
Im also curious about his reputaion. I read about kim seung woo testifying against him and a ceo for planning an assault but i didnt see many articles in english about it so i have no idea how true or untrue it is. So frustrating not to be able to read korean articles about it.
He’s a top actor in korea..Most of his works are hits and critically acclaimed..I think korea never liked him as a person coz of his many scandals but as an actor he is..
If my husband did this, I will just kill him!!! figure of speech!
I agree! not kill, but maybe divorce and just over all sayonara!!!
especially if the marriage is just a year in its outing and he does something this sleazy!!
I don’t get how he would/could invite these girls 20 years his junior with drinks in his home he stays with his wifey (I believe the bit it was his home and call liar him and company for saying it was a restaurant). And he was alone, he was right?
There is no valid reason of doing something idiotic as this, it is not poor judgement it is more of disgusting and perverted and not good husband material.
I hope Lee Min Jung cut ties as early as possible cause if not she is in for more heartbreak in the future!
These young ladies are not stupid. Thus there’s more than meets the eye with this story. fandomscape’s comments above seem quite insightful.
The news of Ryu Si Won being fined $7K for threatening and assaulting his wife is quite a scandal as well.
It’s really sad because Dahee can sing and she was good in Monstar, she’s pretty. She should have been patient. Now her life would be very difficult…
There might be more that meets the eye or not, however, these ladies have indeed not thought this one through. IF LBH has said things that are far more ‘incriminating’ with regards to these ladies’ being (ie. sexual harassment) then they should have taken the evidence with them and choose a more ‘winning’ route–the police and media. They will gain plenty of public sympathy and potentially an equally hefty load of cash in return, that and good publicity too. But they chose to blackmail him instead, which then begs the question of how damaging the contents of the said video was, truly. It being handled by the police now, it seems to be no more than what is stated already–just some more sleaze from a drunk and infamous, sleaze-ball. Perhaps there is more to its contents than can potentially tarnish LBH’s image (again the bar has been set low to begin with) but other than that it’s just a quick way to make a buck as far as they’re concerned.
Having said that though, this does brings to air some more potentially dirty laundry. What exactly is these two girls (who are relatively un-famous) relationship with an A-lister such as LBH and why are they drinking with him? Is it some kind of a high profile escort gig or some blackmailing syndicate MO? OR just LBH fooling around behind his wife’s back?
Why would a 40+ year old guy bring 2 so young girls to his house when his wife wasn’t around? And ask such questions? Whether things happened or not, it occurred.
It paints such a sleazy picture. I like LMJ the actress a lot. But not even as an actress, as a fellow female, I feel so sorry for her.
I really like her as an actress & wished her happiness when she got married to this guy. Now I feel so bad for her. Now how can she ever divorce the creep???
I dont think she can easily. Even if she wants too. LBH will sweet talk her out of it. And his agency will do as much as they can to prevent her doing so.
Yep. And even if she did, he could really end up ruining her career. Pull some strings so nobody casts her anymore. He seems petty enough to do that. She’ll stick with him for now.
was just thinking the same thing. if they have different management there is no reason to speak to each. let alone drink together & be able to contact him to blackmail ’em.
smh
how old do you have to be to be too old to be a perv. shouldnt he know how to not get caught by now. lmfbo.
Once a perv, always a perv. No matter how one looks at it. I am really not into LBH at all. What is so great about this fella who is always into young chicks? Such questionable moral behavior is very unbecoming for a married man! Wish LMJ lotsa luck with dealing an a_ _hole of a husband 🙁
These girls are a bit funny to think that the video would cost a cool 5 mil. It’s not a sex tape. Even with a sex tape it would be stretching it to be 1 mil. Not much of a very good criminal are they. On that thought, I think he should’ve tried to keep this private. It’s a bit embarrassing for his wife having such a perv for a husband.
Blackmailing is wrong so Dahee and other girl should face punishment they deserve. What pisses me off is that Dahee was arrest 2 days after the report, and already head to court with possible 5 years in jail, while KHJ had time to travel around and maybe faces no punishment at all. Korean justice is the best, lol
After reading Koalas update (thanks Koala) and comments in the forum regarding this situation I would like to add the following:
I don’t know much about this guy…and yes, his comments were sleazy, in poor taste/judgement, offensive to his wife and to women. However, this is what bothers me about what I have read so far…there seems to be an expressed view that sleazy comments are worse and more offensive than blackmail. We sympathize with “naive” 20 year old girls “forced” to endure inappropriate comments and behavior.. The blame squarely placed on the lap of older, “powerful” men that should know better… Yes , let’s be real…all involved should have known better and all should be held accountable for their participation in this situation.
1) these girls/women are 20 and involved in the shark infested waters of the “Korean Entertainment” industry not naive little girls that just left a cloistered nunnery in far away land. We should consider that they may have fully participated and enjoyed the “naughty ” conversation…however, we only heard his statements and not theirs.
2) like most of Korea, they know that he is married and has a questionable reputation. Why then are you out drinking with him ? Why are you at his house when his wife isn’t there? What do you hope to gain from the relationship? What kind of discussion do you expect to have in these circumstances? Late night and alcohol…It’s not like you are attending a bible study or reading Du Fu poetry.
3) when a conversation or situation
Becomes uncomfortable and offensive people leave, they don’t tape it.
I don’t think these women are naive. Predatory men and women exist and Whether it’s premeditated or opportunistic they also should be held accountable Wrong is wrong and all parties contributed to this situation.
As women, we are more powerful, authentic and respected when we call out wrongs in honesty regardless of sex and age instead of taking the easy way out and mostly bashing the guy which I seem to be getting from most of the comments so far. I’m finding it curious that most of you are more outraged by his sleaziness and not by the women’s participation in hurting his wife by being with him in the first place and most importantly, breaking the law. I’m not defending him, I’m just saying they where sleazy too.
I concur. These women are of equally moral culpability to the damage that was inflicted, more so towards LMJ.
I completely agree!!!!
I’m not a fan of LBH and I know he looks/is sleazy to be doing those kind of things while being married to one of my favorite actresses. But I don’t get why people still keep pointing out that certified DOM’s like him should stop being a DOM. It’s like asking an orange to stop being an orange. Now since we can’t do anything about his personality why would anyone, much less supposed to be beautiful, young, talented and up-and-coming women/girls still keep on interacting with him and expect to be treated any different (eg. not treated using sexually insulting words on them)?
As they say it takes two to tango. Going with a married man to his house and drinking is already quite alarming. But going with a married man with LBHs reputation is like courting danger/asking for it. It was not as if they were hypnotized or brought there against their will, because if they were they should have thought of exposing the “casting couch” industry that made them “pawns/toys” for pervy old men instead of taking a video of the incident and blackmailing the guy.
Agh. It really is infuriating. I’m so irritated by reading about these kind of news where young women are being stupid and naive. I feel like a parent who wants to scold her child for being stupid enough for going near a rattlesnake when it’s common knowledge that rattlesnakes are poisonous or for dating a guy who is a known violent cheat.
Thank you!
The women are not victims in any way. Everyone knows he’s married. If they felt sexually harassed by him they should have went to the cops instead of trying to get money out of him. They obviously didn’t feel that way. They were going to get the cash and flee the country.
LMJ I feel bad for since she’s in a terrible situation. Stuck with a creep of a husband now that she probably can’t leave even if she really wanted to.
Yes. To all of it.
Smart comment!!! totally agree!
i always wonder why LMJ married this guy? omo.. and why songhaegyo has ever dated this guy?! aigoo..
and these gals, ckckckkc.. speechless..
LMJ deserves her choice.. if she thought of marrying a wrong guy, then she should know this consequence.. but if she thought she’s married a right guy, she would stay with him. that’s it.
I think the difference between Lee Dahee and KHJ is that she admitted to her part in the blackmail.
Also, so sad she did this. I loved her in Monstar. Her voice was out of this world in that karaoke scene where she was singing and thinking about her love of Kang Ha Neul’s character. It made me tear up it was so good…
What a disappointment….:( 🙁
I was unaware of his reputation, but LMJ must have known. So it must have been a great leap of faith for her to marry him. But let’s be fair to him…maybe he was doing research for a book.
@ callmekarma
agreed! assuming the girls are street smart.
i know in korea 20 is an american 18(right?) but i knew what was what @ 16 (mom made sure). and i have yet to blkmail someone(im too lame for a clean getaway)
having said that there are some 30yr olds that miss the broadside of a barn 😛
i smh @ the whole situation.
I am saddened by this because Dahee seemed like such a good girl with a great voice.
I’m not sure what would make her think blackmail was even a reasonable idea or even going to a 40+ yo married guy’s place to have drinks without his wife was a good idea, but I’m very disappointed in her.
And I feel kind of sorry for Lee Min Jung, but I’m pretty sure she went into this marriage with her eyes wide open.
As for LBH, he is what he is. I’m not really sure why people think he’ll be less of a perv/philanderer now that he’s married. It’s probably all the k-dramas which say that you can change the rich guy who’s an ass/perv/philanderer/bad guy, etc. In the real world, 95% of the time, that doesn’t happen.
The girls were really stupid but what was LBH doing hanging around such young ones making lewd jokes when his wife is not around? He’s an idiot too…I feel bad for LMJ and I wonder if their marriage will be OK after this
make me thinking, if my 45 years old father asking my 20 yrs friends their first sex experience, ehhhhhhhhhh
I love lee min Jung,but I could never like this guy nor like their marriage. sigh he’s already married and he doesn’t give a single consideration to his wife before his actions. The glam girl was good in mostar but her career….
All three of them are ridiculous and stupid. LBH hasn’t been caught doing anything illegal so well, nothing you can do about that. But he seems like a real arsehole… Blame the girls all one wants, but he did his own talking. Sleazebag and seriously not respecting his marriage or his wife. But if she doesn’t mind, then not much I can say makes any difference. I don’t want his dramas/movies. Oh crap – I did watch Red not knowing he was in it.
The other two – they committed the crime so they have to do the time… As in serve their punishment. They are ridiculous beyond any comprehended sense. Blackmail for $5 million? It’s absurd at best. It’s so sad that they resorted to crime and taking advantage of a situation to try and make it favorable to them. I hope they can lead more productive lives in the future, they are young and I believe in second chances. Furthermore, it’s absurd that they think they can win this against lbh – the man has resources to manipulate anything if he wanted in a case like this. It’s lose lose lose all over it. Just plain stupid. It’s hard to feel bad for them.
“What part of the male’s body turns you on, girls?”
“His booty, Ajeossi.”
It seems like this report is trying to defend those girls. But You can’t just blame the guy just because of his past and such lewd jokes, and even though he is married.
Just look at your father, brother, uncle, relatives, friends, do you think that some of those people you love won’t make such sexual jokes after they get married?
So you all saying once a playboy, always a playboy?…but if your family/relative makes a mistake (like caught stealing at store)…You will defend it like, he/she made a mistake, and will learn. No, if so, once a thief, then always a thief, you’d have to say then.
..In this case, LBH is victim. The girls are just stupid. Yes He is married, but it doesn’t mean he can’t bring the girls in his home for the drinks when his wife is away on vacation. He just flirted (that’s natural for most guys in this world), and such 20 yrs girls intentionally knew he is a playboy, that’s why those girls made a plan to blackmail him, but they failed miserably, because they became stupid with their silly decision of their own.
LBH just tried to defend himself and his wife, by calling police immediately so that those girls won’t make another move.
But all of you people just badmouthed him as if he has done very big mistake. all he has done is just being a playboy which is just natural (even after marriage).
I just respect his work as an actor. He has been trying/working very hard from the 90s, that’s why he has become an international actor.
Saw this coming and so did LMJ. He got caught but I bet 8 out of 10 men do “pervy stuff”. The girls had balls to try blackmail. Nothing shocking here. Next?!
For the girls to blackmail him for the amount of $5 million, there must be more to the recordings or more to what actually happened that night. Him being alone with two women since they are over 18 and “Just Drinking” and Talking about very sexual stuff” there has got to be more that they are not showing.
He is a man, all men are pervy! Those that are not are just pretending in front of their girlfriends,mom, sisters, wife or they are just not into Women.
Those two women are old enough or should know of his reputation and they know what they got into. They could have just walked out when he asked the first question but they did not.
Sad really cuz “Nana” from Monstar, seems to have that “IT” factor and can sing well.
And those who are commenting on his marriage, we don’t know what happens in closed doors, perhaps he really loves his wife, but also like to go “See’ other girls and not sleep with them or perhaps he is going around with other women, no one really knows and it is up to his wife to either put up with it or divorce him. Life and Kdramas are very different, in real life it is not black and white, more like gray most of the time.
2 very stupid girls, but they can consider themselves lucky that they didn’t have to say hello to 10 gangsters in a warehouse.
Sadly he is a sleazbag, but I think Lee Min Jung knew exactly what she was getting into when she married him. It was not his first scandal nor will it likely be his last.
I just think the girls were incredible stupid and naive to think that he’d actually pay them.
I’m guessing Dahee’s career will be over with this, sad because she was good in monstar.
How come no one’s mentioned that the 2 girls are extremely greedy? I’m not taking anyone’s side – as I don’t even watch any of their dramas or movies, or hear their songs. But it’s very clear that the 2 girls were overcome by greed. They deliberately chose LBH, knowing his sleazy reputation, got him to drink and probably flirted with him to get to get those sleazy responses. All the while videoing the conversation.
LBH’s could easily defend himself by saying that what he said was under the influence of alcohol… but the girls’ actions were deliberate to blackmail him. AND US$5 million? Crazy with greed! Makes me think that there maybe someone else manipulating the whole thing!
LBH doesn’t have a good reputation anyway. The impression left by his entertainment persona on me is that he is an unpleasant womaniser.
On the other hand no matter what someone did, to blackmail that person is so low. One of the lowest tiers of humanity. It is always better to suffer the consequences of your actions rather than give in to blackmail. LBH actually did good on this one.
But isn’t it strange that domestic violence perp is not treated as badly as the blackmail perps.
Obviously there women are immature and wanted to cause trouble. I find it hard to believe that they actually thought LBH would pay that kind of money.
I don’t feel sorry for dahee that chick thought she could record that kind of conversation and try robbing a couple of millions off the guy? SMH
See here in America those are the kind of question teenage girls ask each other at sleep overs, lol
And some friends and I just had a conversation about face vs body just a few weeks ago.
These are childish things at most. And they tried to blackmail him $5M over them. I would have laughed in their faces and gone to the cops also.
bec