200,000-Subscriber Mukbang YouTuber Alleges Sexual Assault by Taxi Driver    (C) Pixabay

SEOUL — A prominent South Korean mukbang (eating broadcast) YouTuber, Kwak Hyeol-su (22, real name Jung Hyun-su), with a following of 200,000 subscribers, has made a harrowing public accusation, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a taxi driver a year ago. The influencer disclosed the traumatic incident in a video uploaded to her channel on November 2, titled, "It Took Me a Long Time to Say This."

The emotional account describes an assault that allegedly occurred in the early hours of May 23, 2024. Kwak stated she had consumed alcohol in Seoul and subsequently boarded a taxi to return to her home in a provincial area. She claims she was rendered unconscious in the back seat during the journey.

"I am a lifestyle YouTuber. Sharing my daily life is my job, yet I have lived crying for 330 out of 365 days," Kwak tearfully recounted in the video. "Having to live in secret has made me feel like I’m going insane. I don't understand why I, the victim, must hide. I did not commit a crime."

According to Kwak's testimony, the taxi driver allegedly parked the vehicle in her apartment's parking lot, moved into the back seat, and sexually assaulted her. Kwak, who stated she had no prior sexual experience, described the profound pain and struggle, saying she "fought back, but in that moment, my mind just went blank."

The alleged assault has had severe, prolonged physical and mental repercussions for the young YouTuber. For over a year, she has undergone continuous treatment at obstetrics and gynecology clinics.

"I went to everything from local clinics to large hospitals. My body is completely ruined from taking so many antibiotics and medications," she revealed. "I now menstruate twice a month, and my hair is falling out like crazy."

Beyond the physical toll, Kwak is suffering from a suite of debilitating mental health conditions, including panic disorder, depression, and hyperventilation. She described the immense difficulty of even performing simple tasks. "Even reading simple text is hard, and pretending to be bright in front of the camera is overwhelming," she admitted, adding she plans to seek psychiatric help.

The strain of maintaining a façade for her online audience has compounded her suffering. "Editing the videos where I look cheerful—I felt so artificial," she said. "It was incredibly hard to have to act when I was so broken inside. I don't want to live like that anymore. I was never a bright person to begin with, and all brightness disappeared after this incident."

Kwak also raised serious issues regarding the legal process, criticizing the prolonged nature of the South Korean litigation system for sexual assault cases. "The system here makes victims like me, who are already suffering, endure years more of pain," she asserted, noting that her case has been ongoing for nearly a year and a half with no end in sight.

Moreover, she shockingly revealed experiencing secondary victimization while interacting with law enforcement. "I was subjected to secondary victimization by the investigator," Kwak alleged, quoting a police officer who questioned, "Why didn't you report it when you were being sexually assaulted?"

Wiping away tears, she countered, "Do you think you could report it immediately if you experienced it directly? I reported it as soon as I woke up the day after the incident."

Closing her statement, Kwak expressed a desire to connect with and empower other survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and rape. "How many people must have suffered from sexual harassment, abuse, or assault?" she pondered. "I want to be a source of strength for all victims in the world. We will face torment today and tomorrow, and moments where we question life will come every night, but I hope we can live well together."