Traditional music teachers exploited authority to sexually abuse students: Court records

Sex crimes in the traditional Korean music community persist, fueled by the enormous influence teachers wield over students’ future careers and the close-knit, insular nature of the industry. Following the Hankook Ilbo’s in-depth coverage of sexual exploitation in the traditional music scene, victims continued to come forward with accounts of widespread sexual harassment and assault. Court rulings also revealed disturbing details of the crimes. An analysis by the Hankook Ilbo of court rulings from 2010 to 2026 involving sexual offenses committed by traditional music instructors who abused their positions of authority over students found that seven of the 11 cases involved underage victims. In four of those cases, the victims were younger than 13. Cases involving adult victims also revealed how perpetrators exploited their control over students’ future careers to subject them to repeated abuse. Even as they suffered, victims found it difficult to speak out, and some eventually left the traditional music community altogether. The crimes typically took place in lesson rooms or class

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