Popular YouTuber Tzuyang reveals years of abuse, exploitation

Popular YouTuber Tzuyang, who has over 10 million subscribers, revealed Thursday she endured a four-year ordeal of assault and blackmail by her former boyfriend.

Tzuyang, known for her “mukbang” videos featuring large-scale eating, shared her story in a livestream, titled “I will tell you everything.”

The YouTuber, whose real name is Park Jung-won, alleged that her ex-boyfriend threatened to release “illicitly taken videos” of her, subjected her to physical abuse and coerced her into working at an entertainment establishment he managed.

Park claimed he “took all the money I earned” during this period.

When she expressed a desire to quit, Park said the abuse escalated, with her ex-partner demanding she continue generating income.

This led to the inception of her “mukbang” videos, she said. However, the mistreatment persisted, according to her.

“The assault occurred almost daily while I was filming,” Park said.

As her videos gained popularity, her ex-partner established a management company, she said. She described an unfair business arrangement where he claimed 70 percent of her earnings. Despite being entitled to the remaining 30 percent, she received nothing from advertising revenue, according to her claims.

With assistance from her company’s employees, Park filed charges against her former boyfriend, including sexual assault, threats and blackmail.

Her legal representatives, Kim Tae-yeon and Kim Ki-baek, who joined her during the livestream, estimated that the man made a profit of at least 4 billion won (US$2.9 million) from Park. They presented evidence supporting her claims, including threatening messages and photos documenting her injuries.

The lawyers said the case was closed following the man’s suicide.

Park’s livestream responded to allegations made in a separate YouTube video claiming she had been blackmailed and extorted by individuals threatening to expose her previous employment at a bar.