The revelation that shook South Korea’s YouTube community! Tzuyang and her legal team have spoken up.
“When I tried to break up with him, it turned into a nightmare…” the short-haired young woman said hoarsely. She is dressed in a white T-shirt and her hair has recently been chopped short. She looks so young, so vulnerable, and so.. heartbroken.
Tzuyang: A Mukbang YouTuber with 10 Million Subscribers
Tzuyang, a popular South Korean mukbang YouTuber, is a beloved figure in the eating show world. Her sunny and cheerful personality and relentless appetite has cemented her position as a top mukbanger. The mukbang niche has risen up in the past 5 years, with 10.2 million subscribers to her mukbang channel alone. Throughout her 10+ years as a successful eating show YouTuber, Tzuyang never talked about any boyfriends she had or even relationships- until yesterday.
On July 11th, she shockingly revealed a dark truth about her romantic relationship in a live stream. She talked in detail about the extortion, physical abuse and violent behavior that has haunted her life. Compilations of her showing terrifyingly bruised arms has been posted by multiple news sites.
Live Broadcast Unveils Dark Truths
In the live stream titled “모두 말씀드리겠습니다” (“I Will Tell You Everything”), Tzuyang shared that she met her former boyfriend (“Mr. A”) when she was taking a leave of absence from her schooling. “He was very nice to me at first, but after a while, he was violent,” she said with a raspy voice.
Illegal Video Blackmail
“When I tried to break up, it turned into a nightmare,” she confessed, “He threatened to distribute an illegal video he had taken of me, he threatened to spread that video if I didn’t stay with him.”
Hidden camera videos, or also known as “molka“, is a phenomenon in Korea that has been increasing since 2011. It can be installed in public bathrooms, hotels, and even in private residences. It is a gender violence against (mostly) women, and molka videos are also used to blackmail victims. Unfortunately, in Tzuyang’s case, she was blackmailed by Mr. A using molka.
Physical and Financial Abuse, Tzuyang Working at Hostess Bar
Mr. A also allegedly committed physical abuse against the famous YouTuber. “I was hit a lot back then, I was hit with umbrellas and other blunt objects.” she stammeringly said.
Her fans did notice over the years that she often appears with bruises and wound plasters on her eating shows. Some left concerned comments on her injuries.
She also said hat Mr. A forced her to work in a hostess bar where he also worked. “He told me that I just needed to pour drinks and chat with (customers). I couldn’t even tell my friends that I was being threatened (to work there). I only did it for a short time, and he took all the money (I earned) during that time. I have all the transfer details.” A hostess bar is where men can come and pay a sum of money to spend time and drink with beautiful women.
Tzuyang finally had enough and told him that she wanted to stop, but Mr. A used violence and threatened to tell her family. She persisted and finally started her mukbang broadcast in October 2018. “During the time I was first streaming, I would get hit at least twice a day,” she said while looking down, nervously touching her fingers.
“I would miss streaming sometimes because he hit me on the face (causing a bruised face). He took all the money I made when I first started my broadcast. I couldn’t even buy chicken for (my eating show) streaming.” she smiled bitterly.
Once her mukbang streaming became more and more successful, Mr. A created a company to manage Tzuyang. He made an unfair contract where 70% of her profit goes to him, and she could only keep 30%. In reality, though, she claims that she received nothing. He also kept her ID and personal seal, making her unable to sign official documents without him.
2020 Backdoor Advertising Scandal
Back in 2020, Tzuyang was also involved in the backdoor advertising controversy that hit major Korean YouTubers severely. These internet figures were promoting products, restaurants, or services without disclosing it properly. This shady marketing practice was condemed heavily in the Korean society, and it really did a number to Tzuyang’s YouTube career. At that time, she had to publicly apologize and admit to this unsavory marketing tactic.
Now, Tzuyang has revealed that she never received the YouTube advertising revenue at that time! It must have been very tough to have to deal with the major public backlash while dealing with personal and financial abuse.
Last year, an instant noodle company revealed that they spent ₩100 million KRW (around $76,700 USD) for a 15-minute mukbang video in Tzuyang’s channel. Considering that this is equivalent to what Korean A-list celebrities would be paid for a campaign, Tzuyang’s advertising fee that Mr. A held must be sky-high!
Mr. A also posed as Tzuyang in the YouTube channel community comments after the scandal, and he made her come back to mukbang world because public opinion had improved. He hit her infront of her staff, threatened her employees, and broke the cameras and monitors at the agency.
Legal Action Against Unfair Contract
Her staff encouraged her to file a lawsuit, but she was afraid of the media attention the case would get. She begged him to leave and she would give him all the money- but he refused.
“It is not enough, I am the reason why you broadcast. All your money and viewers should be mine!” he threatened. Mr. A also spread stories about her past to other YouTubers and other people around her, making up lies. Tzuyang could not take it anymore, and finally filed a lawsuit. She did not want to let down her loyal staff that treated her like family.
Tzuyang’s legal representatives, lawyers Kim Tae-yeon and Kim Ki-baek then showed up to clarify the matter. They never wanted to make this issue public, but YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute has publicized it and it has now become a public debate.
Tzuyang’s lawyers seek termination of her exclusive contract due to alleged exploitation. They determined that her ex-boyfriend defrauded her for around 4 billion won (around $2.9 million USD). The lawyers explained that it took a team of lawyers almost a month to sort through 3,800 audio and image evidences and file a criminal complaint.
They also played an audio recording of her abuse, and her heartbreaking screams could be heard. It is horrible how much habitual assault she faced. Not to mention the sexual violence from the molka video.
The Aftermath and a Tragic Ending
This past year, Tzuyang’s team has filed a legal action against her former boyfriend. Her legal team filed criminal charges against habitual assault, coercion, abuse, as well as sexual assault violations, and more.
Lawyer Kim Tae-yeon released a statement that explained the current state of the case. In a tragic turn of events, the ex-boyfriend picked the extreme choice of ending his own life and the case cannot proceed. The case’s status is now “no right to persecute” due to the ex-boyfriend’s suicide.
The impact on Tzuyang’s mukbang channel and videos is not yet known, but as of right now the live stream video has received 4+ million views. There has been overwhelming response from the YouTube community, showing empathy and compassion to the quagmire she is going through.
P.S. = Read up on Fat Cat and Tan Zhu, another tragic case. Don’t forget to read the most recent update as well (the plot twist!)
