A livestreamer in his 30s has been taken into custody after his on-air arrest went viral earlier this week.
On Sept. 4, Chief Judge Choi Sang-su of the Incheon District Court issued a detention warrant for the internet personality on suspicion of producing and distributing child sexual exploitation material under Korea’s child-protection law, citing a risk of flight.
Investigators allege that during a July 12 livestream, the creator featured a male minor and engaged in inappropriate physical contact, conduct they say amounted to creating exploitative content. In police questioning, the streamer denied wrongdoing, claiming it was a same-sex “penalty” bit and that the teen had agreed―an assertion authorities reject as the footage is being treated as evidence of a crime.
The saga played out in real time on Sept. 1 during a joint broadcast, when a co-host announced, “The police are here.” The streamer replied, “They called me, but I haven’t gone in for questioning. You guys keep the stream going,” before leaving with officers. At a subsequent court review, the judge found a risk of flight and approved detention.
Known for provocative content that has repeatedly drawn platform sanctions, the creator now faces a full legal process. Specific facts of the case―and whether others were involved―will be determined in court.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)