Korean talent management agency Sidus-HQ is under police investigation for tapping on popular actress Jun Ji-hyun’s mobile to monitor her phone conversations and text messages.
The Seoul Police Department was investigating a routine case and by coincidence found Jun Ji-hyun’s number among the many victims, thus prompted the investigation on Sidus-HQ [via Coolsmurf]
Two Sidus-HQ employees have admitted to the illegal eavesdropping; the police is now investigating if there’s a mastermind behind the act.
Earlier reports suggested that phone tapping is a way to monitor the artist’s private life, but it’s later believed that the agency might want to spy on her career decisions as her contract with the agency is coming to an end soon.
The celebrities’ privacy infringement by respected agencies is not unheard of… it’s so bad that the Korean Fair Trade Commission in November 2008 has requested agencies to change their contract terms which interferes with the personal life of their artists.
This is the first time though, that an agency has been caught red handed in such a serious act. Other Korean agencies are fast to deny any similar practices… but I doubt the public would take their words in good faith.
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One of the many pitfalls of technology advancement in society.
All the more reason people need to be wary of their devices, computers and cell phones and limit what you say, text, and do online or on the phone. The world is full of hackers and alot of them are people you’re close to.
this sounds scarry. korean artists will have phone phobia from now on.
There’s no need for people to have a phobia of phones or computers, just be cautious and wary and careful about what you post or text, that’s all. Use common sense when messaging these days. People’s phones, myspace accounts, computers etc get hacked all the time. It’s usually because someone was loose with sharing or mentioning their passwords or confided in friends that they shouldn’t have, or typing passwords and messages out in the open where anyone can see..
The technology is not to be feared but rather people are not to be trusted. It’s just the way it is. You have to beware of who’s around you or watching you from behind or from a distance. Don’t sit there are text on your phone and talk about private stuff out in the open with people behind you watching and listening etc. Try to be a little smart.
You think that’s being paranoid? I thought so too, untill I caught a total starnger peeking over my shoulder one time to see what I was typing in an email on a computer. THAT’s what is scary. People….People are smart and they are sneaky, believe me. And they watch you. I see unsuspecting girls and women out in public leaving their phones sitting on tables while they go to restrooms, typing on their text messages and computers out in the open etc and just being goofy and carefree as they can be.
They don’t have a clue and I just have to shake my head and think, so stupid these people are.
Use some common sense folks. It’s sort of like, when you just bought a new big screen TV, don’t put the empty box out on your curb. You are just advertising to thieves that you have a big screen TV in your house. Take it to a dumpster away from your home. (Heard that advice from a policeman on TV during the holiday season, lol) Made alot of sense. Or parking your car at the store parking lot with your valuables and newly bought items sitting out on the seat in plain view. You’re just asking to get your car broke into.
When you’re in a coffee shop or resturant and texting or talking on your phone or typing on your computer or logging into your facebook or myspace or whatever, try to be aware of who’s around you and if they are watching you or listening. Good idea if possible to sit with your back to the wall, then no one is behind you. And don’t leave your stuff sitting there on the table or your computer running with your page open while you go get a refill on your non-fat latte or go to the restroom. (That’s sort of like these people I see who jump out of their cars and leave them unlocked and running while they run inside the food store to buy a pack of cigarettes or a soda) That’s just being stupid. And change your passwords every so often. And DON”T give your passwords to close friends or relatives! Believe it or not, statistics show that friends are the ones who most often hack into people’s accounts.
Just a few common sense things to follow.
[...] Ji-hyun’s private conversations were snooped on by her agency. Before that, Baek Ji-Young’s ex-boyfriend threatened to release a tape of him and her [...]
[...] – Jun Ji-hyun to renew her agency contract with SidusHQ despite the phone tapping incident [...]