A 22-year-old YouTuber publicly revealed that she was sexually assaulted by a taxi driver final 12 months, prompting an outpouring of help and reigniting discussions about sexual violence and sufferer solidarity in Korea.
Kwak Hyeol-soo, identified for her weight-reduction plan and way of life movies, uploaded a video titled “It Took Me a Lengthy Time to Say This” on Nov. 2, sharing her story for the primary time. Within the 17-minute video, she stated she was assaulted by a taxi driver within the early morning of Might 23, 2024, after an evening out with a buddy in Seoul.
“I acquired right into a taxi round 2 a.m. as a result of all public transport had stopped,” she stated. “I used to be drunk and handed out within the again seat. Once I awakened, the motive force had parked in my condominium’s car parking zone and climbed into the again seat to assault me.”
Kwak, who stated she had no prior sexual expertise, described the assault as “painful and terrifying.”
“I’m not the one who dedicated against the law, but I felt like I needed to disguise,” she stated tearfully. “I didn’t need individuals to pity me, so I pretended all the things was effective and stored importing movies.”
Recognized for selling “wholesome weight reduction” by marathon coaching and home-cooked meals, Kwak revealed that her well being deteriorated after the assault. “My physique was severely broken, and I’ve been visiting the gynecologist for over a 12 months,” she stated, including that she continues to battle with panic assaults, melancholy, and insomnia. She additionally shared that she tried self-harm in August.
Kwak stated the investigation course of deepened her trauma. “A police officer requested me why I didn’t report it instantly,” she stated. “However nobody can simply get up from one thing like that and name the police immediately. I did report it the following morning, however nothing actually modified.”
In keeping with SBS Leisure Information, the taxi driver was indicted with out detention in September on expenses of quasi-rape leading to harm. He has requested a jury trial, although the courtroom has but to determine whether or not to grant it, citing the necessity to defend the sufferer’s privateness and security.
Kwak stated she determined to talk out after receiving an e-mail from a subscriber who had gone by the same expertise. “Studying that message, I noticed I wasn’t alone,” she stated. “There are such a lot of ladies who expertise this. I wish to make movies about therapeutic after sexual violence.”
Her confession shortly went viral. Inside 24 hours, the video surpassed 1.5 million views and drew hundreds of messages of help from different survivors. Nevertheless, she additionally confronted a wave of victim-blaming feedback questioning the reality of her story.
In response, Kwak posted a part of the prosecution’s indictment on Thursday, confirming the case’s authenticity. The doc listed the cost of quasi-rape leading to harm and famous that prosecutors had requested digital monitoring and probation for the accused. “This case is actual, and I’m talking primarily based on verified authorized paperwork,” she wrote.
Kwak’s revelation has since sparked a renewed wave of the #MeToo motion on-line. Beginning on Friday, hashtags similar to #METOO_2025, #StandWithKwakHyeolSoo and #MyStoryIsResistance started trending on X (previously Twitter), as customers shared their very own experiences and known as for stronger protections for survivors.
Comic Kang Yu-mi additionally expressed help for Kwak. “Thanks on your braveness,” Kang wrote, donating 79,000 received ($56) — the quantity seemingly standing for solidarity, as in Korean, the pronunciation of the numbers seven and 9 collectively is much like the phrase buddy.
Kwak’s revelation has revived nationwide discourse on sexual violence, echoing the 2018 #MeToo motion that uncovered systemic abuse throughout Korea’s political, cultural and leisure sectors.
“I hope victims can stand collectively and help each other,” Kwak stated on the finish of her video. “I wish to be a supply of power for each survivor.”
