"Demanding 30 Million Won Mentioning Reporter Name"... Another Karakula Revelation Emerges

Pressure on Individual Streamers Due to Coin-Related Controversies

Additional evidence has emerged showing YouTuber Karakula (real name Lee Se-wook), who is accused of conspiring to threaten the YouTuber 'Tzuyang' with 10 million subscribers, extorting tens of millions of won from an individual broadcaster while mentioning a JTBC reporter.

According to a recording provided by the Garosero Research Institute reported by Sports Kyunghyang on the 21st, Karakula called individual broadcaster A around June 2022 and pressured him by saying, "There are many reports coming in related to coins right now. It's not just one or two cases, so we need to meet and verify the facts," and added, "If an incident happens here now, you're done. (Omitted) This will be a problem."

Photo by Karakula YouTube capture

During this process, he also mentioned the name of a JTBC reporter. "There is also information related to (coin fraud) that has reached JTBC. I am meeting the reporter the day after tomorrow to 'cut' (the story)," he said, adding, "This is the reporter who even did on-site coverage of Kwon Do-hyung because of Luna Coin. Since this reporter is a distant junior, I want to meet and talk well," urging that A must meet him before he meets the reporter.

This aligns with the contents of a prison letter A publicly disclosed to the media on the 19th. At that time, A said he sent 30 million won in cash to the location instructed by Karakula, who pressured him by saying "JTBC is investigating."

When allegations of conspiring to threaten Tzuyang arose, Karakula claimed that he had never received illicit money by putting up his two sons as collateral, but the fact that he received cash from A has been revealed, intensifying the controversy. He is currently under police investigation after being sued in March this year for spreading false information on his YouTube channel and elsewhere.

Karakula claimed that the recordings released by the YouTube channel Garosero Research Institute were edited and released new recordings, but rather, the recordings he released were criticized as manipulated and distorted. When pointed out that the recordings he released showed blackout phenomena where white noise was abruptly cut due to artificial file splicing, he has remained silent without any statement.

Recently, even the signboard of the 'Karakula Media' office located in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, was removed. This office was operated by YouTuber Karakula for video production and staff management, and on the lower floor of the same building, lawyer Cheon Ho-seong, who is a close friend of Karakula, also occupies space. In addition, it has been confirmed that a large number of videos are being deleted. As of the 10th, a total of 490 videos were uploaded on his channel, but as of the 21st, only 424 videos remain uploaded. Amid the controversy, a total of 66 videos have been deleted or set to private.