Two hugely popular K-Pop stars have made headlines in certain corners of the world this week, after vowing to step out of the limelight following separate allegations of sexual misconduct.

The shock news has dominated reports in Korea and thanks to the worldwide popularity of K-Pop (the genre which gifted us Gangnam Style), singers Jung Joon-young and Seungri have also become the subject of global interest.

That said, many people in the UK are probably still in the dark when it comes to the music phenomenon, and the young stars whose careers have skyrocketed because of it. So, here’s what has been going on…

Who’s involved?

Let’s start with Jung Joon-young, the 30-year-old singer and TV personality who has quit showbiz after admitting to secretly filming himself having sex with women and sharing the videos online.

View photos Jung Joon-young (Photo: VCG via Getty Images) More

He said in an official statement: “I admit to all my crimes. I filmed women without their consent and shared it in a chatroom, and while I was doing so I didn’t feel a great sense of guilt.

“Most of all, I kneel down to apologise to the women who appear in the videos and all those who might be disappointed and upset at this shocking incident.

“Throughout the rest of my life, I will repent on my immoral and illegal acts that constitute crimes.”

The BBC reports that South Korean broadcaster SBS is claiming Jung was part of a chatroom where members posted at least 10 secretly-filmed videos, during 2015 and 2016.

Jung began releasing music in 2008 and got his big break in 2012, when he finished in third place on the TV talent show, Superstar K4. He then relaunched his music career and has performed in China and South Korea, landing multiple TV gigs along the way too.

And who is the other singer?

The second man at the centre of the matter is singer Lee Seung-hyun, a 28-year-old who goes by the stage name Seungri.

Seungri had been a member of the K-Pop band Big Bang since 2006 but quit on Monday, after becoming the focus of a sex bribery case.

To backtrack a little, let’s talk about how huge Big Bang are. They are incredibly famous and Seungri has so many businesses and companies that he’s previously been referred to as “the Great Gatsby of Korea”.

View photos Seungri (Photo: VCG via Getty Images) More

He first hit headlines for allegedly providing foreign investors with sex workers at his private members club in Seoul back in February, with local media claiming he tried to find women via messaging app, KakaoTalk.

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