Impeachment Reaches K-Pop

The political scandal that led to the ouster of South Korean President Park Geun-hye has reached into other areas of South Korean culture, including the K-pop field, according to various media. 

Nicolas Asfouri / Pool Photo via AP, File – Park Geun-Hye

Digital Music News reports that Park’s associate, Choi Soon-deuk, and her daughter, who are accused of corruption and bribery of public officials, have also “infiltrat[ed] the ranks of South Korea’s entertainment elite,” in particular YG Entertainment, one of the country’s biggest talent agencies and production companies and that represents international superstar Psy.

Some media have said that YG at one time employed Choi’s daughter, which the agency denies. Other agencies and stars have also been linked to Choi in newspapers and magazines, and the rumors seem strong enough to have prompted the Culture Ministry to investigate “allegations of corruption.” However, the nature of the infiltration and influence remains unclear.