Tzuyang (Park Jung-won), a popular mukbang YouTuber with 10.1 million subscribers, revealed on her YouTube channel on July 11 that she had endured years of threats and exploitation by her boyfriend, who also served as her manager. The situation came to light when recordings were leaked, exposing some YouTubers plotting to exploit Tzuyang’s plight for financial gain. These so-called “cyber wreckers,” YouTubers known for creating exposé content appealing to the public’s sense of justice, have been accused of secretly accepting kickbacks and using their influence for financial gain.
The YouTube channel Hoverlab released recordings on July 10 alleging that Gujeyeok and Jeon Gukjin, who respectively refer to themselves as a “specialist in rescuing unfair situations” and an “identifier of fake YouTubers,” discussed exploiting compromising information about Tzuyang’s past. This included her forced work at an entertainment establishment under her ex-boyfriend’s coercion. Conversations included statements like “Tzuyang should retire if this gets out” and “We should cover this up for monetary gain,” with mentions of demanding 200 million won in cash. Another recording revealed that Gujeyeok had agreed to share part of the 3 million won he received from Tzuyang with Jeon Gukjin in exchange for not producing content about her. Hoverlab claimed Gujeyeok had actually received 55 million won from Tzuyang. In response, Gujeyeok revealed on his channel that he had neither accepted nor engaged in any shameful actions.
Following the release of these recordings, Tzuyang addressed her followers directly on her YouTube channel early on July 11. She disclosed that she was a victim of illegal recordings by her ex-boyfriend, A, and had suffered from his violence and threats. Her attorney, Kim Tae-yeon, said, “We filed criminal charges against A for habitual assault and threats, as well as claims for financial settlement and contract termination. However, the case closed when A took his own life.” She added, “Tzuyang has been extorted out of about 4 billion won in YouTube earnings.”
The Tzuyang scandal highlights the practices of so-called exposé YouTubers who exploit others’ vulnerabilities to gain popularity and profit. In the pursuit of high view counts, which directly translate to revenue, some YouTubers habitually create provocative content, blurring the lines between legal and illegal activities. This has led to frequent lawsuits. Lawyer Jung Gu-seung from the law firm Illo said, “Defamation lawsuits among YouTubers are on the rise. The drive for sensationalism often leads to unethical and even illegal actions.”
