BBC BURNING SUN DOCUMENTARY

Burning Sun: Exposing the Secret K-pop Chat Groups is a BBC documentary that investigates one of Korea’s most notorious scandals involving musicians Seungri, Choi Jong-hoon, and Jung Joon-young. The film reveals how sexual assault, illegal filming, and collusion with police were downplayed by light sentences and weak investigations, sparking public outrage when the documentary reached millions of viewers worldwide.

Through survivor accounts, glimpses of the leaked chatroom footage, and reporting from journalists like Kang Kyung-yoon, the documentary shows how women were exploited and how celebrity status shielded perpetrators. It also traces the scandal back to 2016, when mishandled evidence eventually resurfaced to expose the depth of abuse and corruption.

As Lighting Cameraman and DoP in support of director Kai Lawrence, I shot and lit all the interviews featured in the film, as well as the B-roll footage of the Burning Sun club during its demolition. This work provided the visual backbone to a documentary that underscores the ongoing cultural and societal issues of gender, power, and accountability in South Korea.

LIGHTING CAMERAMAN

NILS CLAUSS

PRODUCTION

A BBC WORLD SERVICE PRODUCTION