[Exclusive] "A child who never rebelled, can't believe 'Gatgat'..." Testimony from Moon Hyung-wook's schoolmate

'Gatgat' Moon Hyung-wook's high school graduation photo / Photo by reader provided

[Asia Economy Reporters Seungyoon Song, Jeongyun Lee] "I never thought anything was strange, so I can't believe he committed such a crime."

As the personal information of Moon Hyung-wook (24), the original creator of the Telegram 'Nth Room' that produced and distributed sexual exploitation videos, was disclosed on the 13th, his classmates who attended school with him said in unison, "Looking at him back then, it's hard to believe that Moon is 'GodGod'."

According to Moon's middle and high school classmates, he was quiet and gentle to the extent that he never fought with friends or got angry at anyone during his school days. Having spent all his school years in Gyeonggi Province, Moon was an ordinary student you could see anywhere. For this reason, when news broke that he was 'GodGod,' who committed horrific sex crimes, his classmates were shocked beyond words.

Moon's high school classmate A said, "He had no problems during school and his relationships with friends were not bad, so I am curious about what made him become such a terrible criminal," adding, "I met him once in the neighborhood after he became an adult, and he definitely seemed darker than before."

From middle school, Moon was a student far from delinquency or deviant behavior. Although he did not have many friends, he maintained reasonably good relationships with classmates and studied fairly well, like others. In the eyes of friends, he was a quiet and timid student, the kind you find one per class.

Moon's middle school classmate B said, "(Moon) was an inconspicuous, ordinary person and was timid to the extent of having only one or two friends," adding, "He never rebelled against teachers and quietly went about school life, so I am confused by the news that he committed such a crime."

In high school, Moon focused on studying and was more active in social relationships than in middle school. His school days remained ordinary, according to the common testimony of friends around him.

C, who was in the same class as Moon from the second year of high school, said, "He seemed to study moderately and had decent human relationships," adding, "I was shocked to hear that the person who used to talk about games with us was 'GodGod'." Another classmate, D, said, "I just remember him as an ordinary friend," explaining, "I don't know of any special or strange behavior from him."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Moon, who produced and distributed sexually exploitative obscene materials involving minors on Telegram, confessed to his crimes during a summons investigation by the Cyber Safety Division of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency on the 9th. The police urgently arrested Moon and applied for an arrest warrant on the 11th.

Gwak Hyung-seop, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Andong branch of the Daegu District Court, issued an arrest warrant for Moon the next day on charges including violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles against Sexual Abuse (production and distribution of child sexual exploitation materials). Judge Gwak explained the reason for issuance, saying, "There is a risk of flight."

On the same day, the police held a personal information disclosure committee to decide whether to disclose Moon's personal information and released his name and age.