The Hong Kong government said it had not received any application from a “former Korean artiste” under the city’s talent admission schemes after reports emerged that a disgraced K-pop star had moved to Hong Kong after being released from prison last year.
Citing sources local media reported that Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun and who was a member of K-pop group Big Bang, had recently relocated to the city. Lee was jailed in August 2021 over his involvement in a high-profile sexual abuse scandal that shocked the Korean entertainment industry.
After Lee was released from Korean prison last February, local media reported that the fallen star had met a Hong Kong model and planned to venture into Hong Kong.
“In relation to media reports about a former Korean artiste who planned to move to Hong Kong… a spokesman for the HKSAR Government clarified today (May 23) that the HKSAR Government has not received any visa application by the said person for any talent admission schemes,” a government spokesperson said in a statement issued on Thursday.
Seungri was sentenced to three years in prison in Korea over organising sex workers for investors, as well as embezzlement, bribery, illegal gambling, and violating foreign currency exchange and food hygiene laws, BBC reported. His sentence was later reduced to 18 months by an appeal court.
“The relevant government departments will, in accordance with the established mechanism, play a robust gatekeeping role when processing applications of talent admission schemes to ensure only applications of eligible persons will be approved,” the government spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that Korean nationals could stay in Hong Kong for up to 90 days without needing a visa.
When asked whether the government had received an application from the former Korean artist under a new investment scheme, InvestHK, which assesses such visas, said: “We will not comment on individual cases, if any.”
Burning Sun Scandal
In early 2019, Korean media outlets revealed a series of alleged crimes that took place at the high-end Seoul nightclub Burning Sun.
Seungri, the club’s director, and Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon, two other Korean stars and the CEOs of the club, along with some clubgoers, were suspected of sexually assaulting women who were drunk or drugged, and providing businessmen from Hong Kong, Taiwan and elsewhere with sex workers, international media outlets reported.
A former police officer was also suspected of protecting the stars’ illegal activities. Ultimately, seven former artists, one club employee, and the former policeman were convicted.
Jung was convicted of rape and filming and sharing sexual images of his victims without their consent, and sentenced to five years in prison by Seoul High Court in May 2020. Choi was sentenced to five years in prison in 2019 over rape.
BBC published an one-hour documentary on the Burning Sun scandal on Sunday after two Korean reporters revealed a secret online group chat joined by the convicted artists to share illicit videos they took while they sexually assaulted women without their consent.
| 💡If you are suffering from sexual or domestic violence, regardless of your age or gender, contact the police, Harmony House (click for details) and/or the Social Welfare Department on 28948896. Dial 999 in emergencies. |
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