Suicide Actress Used as Sex Slave

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The recent suicide of popular Korean actress Jang Ja-yeon, known for her latest role in a Hana Yori Dango drama, is revealed to have been prompted by her shocking treatment at the hands of her agency; it emerges she was treated as little more than an indentured prostitute, being forced to have sex with the rich and powerful and being beaten if she displeased her masters.

As detailed in an earlier report, Jang was found dead hanging from a stairway railing recently.

It was later discovered that the actress had left a suicide note. The note is said to have named names and given sordid details of the unglamorous side of the Korean entertainment business.

The contents of the note, which remains in the hands of family, has not been made public. However, speculation of what caused her death soon focused on Jang’s management agency.

Rumors of the dark underside of the Korean entertainment industry had surfaced years before. Actresses, who are brought into the public spotlight through enormous investments made by their management agency, are often put into a contractual form of slavery.

In order to make back their investments, the firms often hire out the young women to politicians and powerful individuals in the corporate world to serve as escorts.

In private salons and bars, the actresses pour drinks, dance and are often coerced to sleep with their guests. Actresses who wish to be free from their contracts often have to pay back three to five times the amount of the initial investment.

In fact, a very similar institution is said to exist in Japan.

However, Jang Ja-yeon’s former manager spoke out against her agency in a statement to the press.

He alleged that Jang Ja-yeon had been forced to have sex with the management agency’s production director, and not only that: he also described an episode where the actress was physically beaten with water bottles and threatened via text messages.

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The former manager also revealed that Jang had felt powerless, a newcomer with little money or leverage. He stated that he was revealing these details against the family’s wishes in accordance to the late actress’ desires to see her abusers brought to justice.

Jang’s former manager was cooperating with the police in their continuing investigation.

The agency’s production director was unavailable for comment having conveniently flown to Japan on an unscheduled business trip.

Shortly afterward, Jang’s former manager reportedly attempted suicide.

It is speculated that he attempted to kill himself to avoid the inevitable backlash for his statement. He remains hospitalized.

Via Chosun Ilbo.


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    Comment by murano
    05:45 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    i've been following this girls story from the day of her suicide... i hope you have a source to back this up on. i know the manager has said some things hinting towards it but i didn't hear of concrete evidence

    Comment by murano
    06:50 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    oh my god

    the news networks are reporting this

    i feel sick

    Comment by Anonymous
    05:19 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    And there are actually people who believe that those eroge plots are fictional...

    Comment by Anonymous
    05:18 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    but...isn't this sort of universal?

    Comment by Void
    07:06 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Saw a dokumentary this morning about an athletics school in North Korea. Every morning they had to sing a song (sounded like a national anthem or something) and in that song was a part about about sacrificing they're lives for Kim Jong II.

    They also got brainwashed during one class to see America as an evil Imperialistic country.

    Comment by Anonymous
    05:06 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Oh crap, I hope my favourite actress, newcomer Lee Ji-Ah, isn't in the same situation as her.

    Comment by Captain Snow
    03:13 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I hope her killer gets the justice they deserve. They forced a young lady to take her life and the forced sex slavery is absolutely horrid.

    Avatar of Bokusatsu Tenshi
    Comment by XSportSeeker
    03:05 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    May the manager live so everyone around him can make his life a living hell.

    Also, did I get things right? The family was planning to keep this quiet? If so, they also deserve to live in hell.

    And the agency.

    Hell.

    Comment by Ogami Rei
    01:54 19/08/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Hell is too good for scum such as these. I, the 6th Code Breaker, shall judge these trash that have somehow managed to worm their way through the net of justice.

    Avatar of Shuu
    Comment by Shuu
    20:44 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Blame that insane obsession with "not losing face" so common among Asians. One aspect of their culture I will NEVER get to like.

    Comment by m
    03:15 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Maybe some of the more sick mangas are being drawn from real life happenings, manga artists who were there watching or partaking. This is the world over, girls become property for those who can. sick
    .

    Comment by Anonymous
    04:09 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Just goes to show that no matter what country, government officials and those with power are corrupt. I can only hope the names get released publicly, I would bet my life savings most of those dipshits have wives if they are in politics.

    Comment by billy
    01:42 05/06/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    gee wiz stupid ladi! just tell the fucking police! dont fucking kill yourself! or better yet, kill those who hurt ur...even still a sad story.

    Comment by Anonymous
    13:53 14/04/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    wow i can not believe there are such thing like this still in the world. i love watching kdrama, i give all the actors and actresses for bringing entertainment to us to watch, i didnt realize how bad it is behind the scenes or what they have to do to get to where they are. this is unfair, i wish those criminals be put in jail where they belong.

    Comment by Anonymous
    11:24 16/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Hahaha fucking gooks.

    Comment by Minaru
    00:07 16/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    If this is true, this is horrible.

    Why is the industry like this?!

    Comment by bucker
    03:25 16/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Well, I can guess why the family wouldn't want to published her suicide note. Fear of the bastard who's got power. I know that people with power can make someone's life a living hell.

    Plus, people in power can always fabricate news or evidences.

    Every time I read or hear rape or forced sex incident, I wish that the DEATH NOTE really exist.

    I'm very sorry for her and may she rest in peace.

    Comment by Yan
    14:43 21/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Me too..I wish i hv DeathNote..
    ppl says suicide is a stupid way of life..
    But anw in some circumstances ppl might think abt it..Even my self ever think abt it..
    Iam really sad abt this incident ..
    May she rest in peace..

    Comment by Anonymous
    21:41 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    This could be a plot for some random detective anime, srsly.

    Avatar of Cubanoman
    Comment by Cubanoman
    03:25 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    phoenix wright .....

    Comment by Anonymous
    21:31 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    No wonder that some people(like us?) prefer a 2D world... Evil is everywhere!

    Avatar of p1k4ch3w
    Comment by p1k4ch3w
    21:54 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    i dont get it.. what's with asia and treating women like garbage?

    Avatar of Icy-nee-san
    Comment by Icy-nee-san
    02:07 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    It happans in north america too... well at least in canada :P well at least in WEST canada...

    Avatar of Icy-nee-san
    Comment by Icy-nee-san
    02:08 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Although it could be the fact that alot of us are high and are only kidding... :P

    Comment by Robert Patrick
    16:56 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    It happens everywhere actually, just use common sense : what kind of agency makes a business of displaying hot girls ?
    All those perfect bodies displayed in bikini, do you think they're only for the 2D ? The idol business is very close to the prostitution business whatever the country, even if it's not slavery. When you're a hot girl that discovers how much extra money she can make by having sex sometimes with the right person, or how she can boost her career, how long do you refuse ? How long do you keep looking at your career that doesn't evolve when the other girls in the agency get better jobs and more celebrity just because they are having sex with the right persons ?

    Comment by Anonymous
    02:27 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    If we had no drugs, we would be living in a (slightly) better north america.

    Avatar of shockerz
    Comment by Tommy
    23:06 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Poor girl being insulted like that. I guess that the entertainment world is dark as ever.

    Comment by Anonymous
    23:01 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    The very same things are happening to your IDOLM@STER girls, behind your back!

    ph34r da TRUTH!

    Avatar of onitake
    Comment by onitake
    22:10 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    sue them _before_ trying to kill yourself, i would like to say... but i know zero about how seriously abuse-related crime involving rich & powerful overlords is treated in korea. or japan, for that matter.
    it's a sick business.

    Comment by ShadowStitch
    21:14 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    People are terrible everywhere.

    Comment by himitsuu
    02:43 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Man by nature is bad?

    Comment by ShadowStitch
    03:32 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Pretty much, yes.

    Comment by Anonymous
    20:56 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Shortly afterward, Jang’s former manager reportedly attempted suicide.

    maybe he is also gay sex slave for some bussinesman? :o

    Comment by Anonymous
    01:06 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Or mostly felt powerless and intimidated that if they found out he was going to try anythign funny, both her and his contracts will be history

    Comment by LeLouch Vi Brittania Zero
    01:50 19/08/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Those at the top are at fault! Excuse me while I geass Akumetsu for a special service.

    Comment by himitsuu
    02:42 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    He prolly tried to kill himself, instead of those bad politicians killing him.

    Or prolly he got scared or sth. But good thing he told the truth.

    Poor girl. Poor girl.. :(

    Comment by Anonymous
    19:46 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    What a corrupted world we are living in....
    no wonder people said that the entertainment industry is as dark as the abyss... :/
    Perhaps this is not only limited in Korea?

    Avatar of muteKi
    Comment by muteKi
    19:37 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Dammit, I have to stop reading these posts when I've not gotten any sleep. I'm so emotionally unstable when I'm sleep-deprived.

    The poor girl. D:

    Avatar of linkinstreet
    Comment by linkinstreet
    19:41 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    yeah, but it happens everywhere.

    Comment by Anonymous
    03:20 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Still doesn't make it any less sad.

    Comment by Anonymous
    04:41 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Stopped my fappage. :(

    Heart goes to the poor girl...

    Avatar of cerberus
    Comment by Cerberus
    21:29 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Its still sad that they do this kind of stuff to the girls

    Avatar of Cosplaying God
    Comment by Jashin
    19:53 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I'll never see them hot asian girls the same way again... Probably they'd all got fucked by them ugly old politicians...

    Comment by Anonymous
    09:07 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    what a fucken horrible thing to say!!! didnt u just read the article! how could you be so heartless as to say shit like that!!!

    Comment by Anonymous
    09:46 16/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    why not for a change, look at the men in power differently? why blame the girls for being exploited? because they have to fit a very narrow definition of pure, innocent Hot Asian Fantasy for you?

    Comment by LeLouch Vi Brittania Zero
    01:46 19/08/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Does it mean that because these rich old geezers have power, which makes them have justice, while not having power is a crime, and exploiting the powerless is seen as dishing out justice? If so, you are deluded.

    Comment by WondrousWizard
    01:36 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    Maybe we should try not to look at them this way whatever happen. It doesn't help their image and we don't if it's true or not for everyone.

    Still, I'm really sad. Knowing what happen to this girl is cruel and unfair. Damned, we are not in the 40's and 50's anymore for god sake.

    Avatar of Cosplaying God
    Comment by Jashin
    01:46 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    True... Its a sad fact how they're used... Its not fair how those rich old bastards get all the power... They're ruining people's lives... Those politicians and old men should die of heart attack...

    Comment by Anonymous
    02:25 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I see what you did there.

    Avatar of softbanker
    Comment by softbanker
    20:24 14/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    That sucks hard.

    Avatar of basilio
    Comment by basilio
    02:26 15/03/2009 # ! Neutral (0)

    I hope you're not making any sexual innuendos...

    But that poor girl... the industry is so screwed up.





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