Sexual assault charges continue to pile up against JYJ member and actor Park Yoo-chun, 30, with two more women claiming that the idol star raped them, bringing the current total to four potential victims.
According to police on Friday, a third and fourth complainant have come forward to file separate charges against Park. One woman claimed that Park had raped her in the bathroom of a karaoke establishment in February 2015, while another told police he had raped her in the bathroom of his house in June 2014.
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Park Yoo-chun (Yonhap) |
These cases come just a few days after a woman in her 20s filed the first police report against the entertainer on June 10, saying she was sexually assaulted by Park earlier this month in the bathroom of a bar where she works.
Although she went on to eventually drop the charges, claiming there was “no coercion during sexual intercourse with Park,” police said they would continue to investigate the allegations, noting that the accused can still face criminal charges even if a complaint has been withdrawn. Police also noted that the complainant can also face punishment if it is found she made a false claim.
However, the initial filing led to a domino effect, with the second individual claiming she finally found the courage to file a police report after learning about the ongoing investigation. The second woman told police that Park assaulted her on June 12 in a bathroom at a Gangnam bar where she worked -- similar to the first woman’s initial claims.
Meanwhile, a drawing that featured cartoonish depictions of a toilet, a man and unidentified characters and objects, which is believed to have been made by Park a few years ago, has gone viral on social media. Another captured image of a remark made by a foreign online user, saying “Why Yoochun loves to draw toilet bowl so much LOL and what is the motive tho?!” has also spread quickly online.
Park is popular in Asian countries, especially in Japan and China, leading to media outlets in those countries reporting on the sexual assault allegations.
Officials from Park’s agency C-Jes Entertainment continue to deny the allegations against the boy band JYJ member, maintaining their defense of his innocence.
C-Jes officials stated they would take legal actions against all those involved for defamation and libel and further stated that Park has pledged to leave the entertainment business if any of the charges are found to be true.
Park is currently serving as a public agent at Gangnam-gu Office in Seoul in lieu of military conscription.
By Julie Jackson (
juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)
