KOREA: Anchor's photo leakage tops Internet news

Private photos of celebrity anchor Park Ji Yoon and her boyfriend replace the past two-week's no. 1 searched inquiry, Virginia Tech shooter Cho Seung-hui

The Korea Times
Sunday, May 6, 2007

By Park Chung-a

Celebrity anchor Park Ji-yoon topped the country's No. 1 search engine Naver's "Most Searched Word List," due to her private photos with her boyfriend being posted onto the Internet by anonymous users.

The photographs were originally posted on her boyfriend and anchor Choi Dong-sok’s personal blog in private, not open to others. Choi took the ninth place on the list.

The second place was taken by video footage featuring the victory of South Korean fighter Choi Hong-man over Mike Malone of the United States, at the K-1 World Grand Prix in Hawaii on April 29 heralding his return from a loss to Mighty Mo in March.

Former KBS anchor Noh Hyun-jong took the third place with the birth of her first child in the United States last week, eight months after she married the grandson of the founder of Hyundai Group, one of the largest conglomerates in South Korea.

Coming in fourth was sexy female singer Seo In-young’s water show on the KBS music program "Music Bank," which aired April 29. Seo’s performance attracted public attention even before it went on air, since it was reported that her underwear could be seen through a white blouse as water was poured on her. The scene was shot again after she changed clothes to a black blouse.

Fifth place went to comedian Kim Mi-ryo’s personal web blog. Her numerous fans left messages on the blog to cheer her up after she was insulted during a broadcast. On the April 26 live music show on cable channel M.net, Kim quit the stage crying while talking with the show hosts, after her singing performance. It is reported that some teenage audience members swore loudly and insulted her while she was singing.

Coming in sixth was Cho Seung-hui, the shooter of the Virginia Tech massacre. Various new reports online said he suffered from isolation and depression when alive.

Hanwha Chairman Kim Seung-youn took the seventh place with his mobilization of gangsters to kidnap and assault six people involved in a brawl with his son in March. A statement by the police chief indicated that the arrest of the tycoon is imminent.

Coming in the eighth was singer Lee Jong. While Lee was speaking as a guest on a live radio show, the show’s host joked to listeners that Lee would be a guest on the show one more time if his name becomes the most searched for keyword on Internet portal sites.

Nam Kyu-ri, a member of girl band SeeYa, got 10th place as she officially denied a rumor that she was going out with Tony Ahn, a former member of the once most-popular boy band H.O.T.

Date Posted: 5/6/2007