
More sordid details are emerging about the suicide of Hana Yori Dango actress Jang Ja-yeon. Along with notes which detailed the sexual encounters she was forced into, being beaten if she failed to perform, police have uncovered what appears to be a full service brothel at the offices of her management agency.
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- Author: jinstevens
- Categories: International, News
- Date: Mar 14, 2009 19:32 JST
- Tags: Actress, Celebrities, Crime, Hana Yori Dango, Idol, Korea, Rape, Suicide, TV

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.
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Rising actress Jang Ja-yeon, who was currently starring in the Korean drama adaptation of Hana Yori Dango (Boys over Flowers), was recently found to have committed suicide at her home in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province.
Jang’s death marks the third celebrity suicide to hit the Korean entertainment industry in the past 6 months.
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Japanese recording industry mafia JASRAC reports that 2007 royalty collections for music licensing are ranked as follows:
1: 『Flavor Of Life』 宇多田ヒカル – Flavor Of Life, Utada Hikaru (Hana Yori Dango)
2: 『エヴァンゲリオンBGM』– Evangelion BGM
3: 『LOVERS AGAIN』 EXILE
4: 『ドラゴンボールZ BGM(TV)』– Dragon Ball Z BGM (TV)
5: 『涙そうそう』 夏川りみ、BEGIN、森山良子
Total proceeds increased 4.1% over the previous year to ¥115 billion, about $1.1 billion, with cable television said to be a primary factor in the revenue growth.
Flavor of Life from is from one of the many Hana Yori Dango adaptations, and the Eva and DBZ titles need no introduction (apparently international airing of DBZ contributed heavily). With even more Eva related sales on the cards it is likely the strong showing will persist.
It seems an interesting development for their sales to apparently be moving away from direct sales via CD and the like towards indirect licensing ventures. From the JASRAC fiscal reports, digested by AnimeAnime.