Woman files criminal charges against SPECTRUM’s Hwarang for filming her illegally

According to South Korean outlet TV Daily, fourth-generation K-pop idol SPECTRUM’s Hwarang, aka Park Jong-chan, was accused of filming an intoxicated woman without her consent. The report, published on October 4, also mentioned quotes from Ms. A, the woman who filed a criminal complaint against the idol after her worsening anxiety.

Trigger warning: The article concerns potential s*xual abuse.

As per the details given to TV Daily by Ms. A, the victim, the 27-year-old idol allegedly met the woman through social media. As Ms. A fell asleep after drinking alcohol, he allegedly undressed and filmed her.

Ms. A mentioned that she gained consciousness in the middle and asked him to not to film the video despite still reeling from the effects of alcohol.

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SPECTRUM’s Hwarang edited out of web dramas and more after s*xual abuse accusations come to focus

SPECTRUM was a seven-member boy group that debuted in 2018 but disbanded in 2020 due to the company’s struggling costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of its members, 27-year-old Hwarang, aka Park Jong-chan, made headlines on October 4 after a South Korean outlet released a report mentioning that he was accused of violating the Special Act on the Punishment of Se*ual Crimes.

SPECTRUM’s Hwarang allegedly met Ms. A, the complainant and victim, through social media and then met in person at Seoul. They later went to Hwarang’s house on July 30. As per Wikitree, Ms. A said:

“I drank more than my usual amount of alcohol at Mr. Park's (Park Jong-chan) house and fell asleep drunk. Then, I woke up to the camera light and video recording sound, and Mr. Park was filming my naked body. Even while I was drunk and unconscious, I was shocked and waved my hands and told him not to take the video. I was afraid that Mr. Park might spread the video.”

The report also states that Ms. A developed anxiety after the incident. She mentioned that her “heart started pounding even when I looked at the camera light.” This worsening mental health made her file a complaint against SPECTRUM’s Hwarang.

Additionally, Ms. A tried contacting the idol-actor but he reportedly changed his number, as per TV Daily. Ms. A also claimed that she received a message from his social media threatening her to report her as his stalker.

Furthermore, SPECTRUM’s Hwarang was reportedly edited out of a web drama that he recently finished filming for. A promotional video featuring him was also made private. Alongside dramas, brands also reportedly backed off from making him their model.

No official statement was made by SPECTRUM’s Hwarang or his company at the time of writing. The idol-actor’s social media accounts are private and his agency is also reportedly unreachable.