Author: Sophie-Ha 

Mukbang YouTuber Tzuyang has addressed the extortion threats from other YouTubers.

On July 10, Tzuyang conducted a live stream on her YouTube channel titled "I Will Tell You Everything."

She began by saying, "I needed to urgently address the issue raised by the Garosero Research Institute." On July 10, Kim Sae Eui of the 'Garosero Research Institute channel revealed that YouTubers Gu Je Yeok, Jujak Inspector, Karacula, and more had blackmailed Tzuyang over her past, extorting money from her.

Tzuyang explained, "Before starting my YouTube career, I took a leave of absence from school and had a boyfriend. At first, he treated me very well, but he soon became violent. When I tried to break up with him, things became a nightmare."She continued, "He had secretly filmed videos of me and used them to threaten me, saying he would release them if I didn't stay with him. He also physically abused me by hitting me with umbrellas and other blunt objects."

Tzuyang added, "He took me to his workplace (hostess bar), telling me I just needed to pour drinks and chat with customers. I did this for a short period but couldn't tell my friends because of his threats. He took all the money I earned, and I have transaction records to prove it... I was too scared to speak up, but I eventually told him I wanted to stop. He used violence again and threatened to tell my family. I have photos of injuries from when I decided to quit in October. He would hit me at least two times a day."

She continued, "I told him I would make money through streaming, as I had considered this since before. Even after I started my YouTube channel, he took all the money I earned. I didn't even have money to buy chicken for my videos."

She continued, "As my channel grew, he created a company and made an unfair contract where he took 70% of all the earnings, leaving me with 30%. He kept my personal seal and ID, and I never received any advertising revenue."

Her ex-boyfriend even posed as Tzuyang in comments and suggested she return to YouTube when public opinion improved. Two years ago, Tzuyang's staff discovered the situation and suggested she file a lawsuit, but she was afraid of the publicity and asked them not to. Her ex-boyfriend then started threatening her staff.

Due to her inability to meet with people, her staff met with the threatening YouTubers. As a result, she was not fully aware of the details.

Tzuyang explained that when she filed a lawsuit, her ex-boyfriend exposed her past to the YouTubers. Despite knowing about her situation, Gu Jae Yeok and Jujak Inspector continued to blackmail her.

Her ex-boyfriend dismissed her plea to leave her alone, saying, "It's not enough," and "Your success is all thanks to me." When she cut off contact with him, he threatened her friends.

Unable to tolerate the threats to those around her, Tzuyang consulted with a lawyer and proceeded with a lawsuit. She stated, "I considered quitting many times, but I couldn't give up because of my loyal staff. I got used to the threats and physical abuse, but I didn't want to let down my employees who felt like family."

Tzuyang emphasized, "I didn't want this to become public, no matter what. I know I have responsibilities, even if I was forced into it. For five years, I lived in constant anxiety. I apologize to those disappointed by my past. I didn't want to reveal it."

Her lawyers then provided further explanation and evidence, including recordings and photos of the abuse.

They also revealed that her ex-boyfriend owed Tzuyang around 4 billion KRW (~2.9 million USD). Tzuyang denied any involvement in tax evasion, stating she was unaware of financial details.

Tzuyang filed charges against her ex-boyfriend for sexual offenses, habitual violence, habitual threats, injury, extortion, coercion, and violations of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act. However, the case was closed when the ex-boyfriend took his own life.