Former GLAM member Kim Da-hee (김다희), now known as Kim Si-won (김시원), recently garnered attention after attending a BIGBANG concert and sharing photos from the event. Her appearance has brought back into public discussion the private video blackmail case involving actor Lee Byung-hun (이병헌), which severely impacted GLAM's promising early career and ultimately led to the group's disbandment. Years after fading from the entertainment industry, Kim Si-won transitioned to working as a live streamer on AfreecaTV before announcing her retirement from streaming last year. Following the recent concert photos, some fans commented, cautioning BIGBANG members and reigniting debate over the long-dormant 5 billion won (approximately NT$130 million) blackmail scandal.
Kim Si-won posted several photos on her personal social media, writing, "BIGBANG~ Yeah~ ♥ (My throat is hoarse, it might hurt for the next few days…)" She also tagged keywords such as BIGBANG, 20th anniversary, and concert. The photos showed her attending the concert with minimal makeup, holding a fan board that read "BIGBANG IS BACK," indicating her enthusiastic participation.
BIGBANG celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with a concert held at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang City. Kim Si-won attended the performance with friends. However, after the photos were released, some BIGBANG fans recalled her past controversy, leaving comments such as "BIGBANG be careful," "So she was also at the concert," "Was she originally a BIGBANG fan?" "I almost didn't recognize her with the changed name," "Which BIGBANG member is she a fan of?" and "Brothers, be careful of women."
Kim Si-won, under her birth name Kim Da-hee, joined the girl group GLAM. The group was steadily gaining popularity, having debuted approximately two years prior, when the shocking blackmail scandal erupted in 2014, abruptly derailing their entertainment career.
Actor Lee Byung-hun filed a police report, alleging that GLAM member Kim Da-hee and model Lee Ji-yeon (이지연) secretly recorded him telling lewd jokes during a drinking session and conversation. They then threatened to release the video unless he paid them 5 billion won (approximately NT$130 million) as hush money.
Police investigations revealed that the two not only prepared suitcases to collect the cash but also searched for flight tickets to Europe. They were arrested in September 2014, and the case proceeded to judicial review.
In January of the following year, the court's first ruling sentenced Kim Da-hee to one year in prison and Lee Ji-yeon to one year and two months. Both appealed the decision. Lee Byung-hun also requested leniency from the court, and ultimately, their sentences were commuted to probation. They were released after serving approximately six months.
Lee Byung-hun reportedly met Lee Ji-yeon and Kim Da-hee at a social gathering, and the three met several times afterward. During one such meeting, Lee Byung-hun's lewd jokes were secretly recorded by the two, eventually escalating into the blackmail case that shocked South Korea.
After the incident broke, Korean media also exposed private conversations between Lee Byung-hun and Lee Ji-yeon, including messages initiated by him, discussions about financial support, and hints of developing a deeper relationship, which further complicated the entire affair. According to reports at the time, Lee Byung-hun later decided to end his relationship with Lee Ji-yeon, who allegedly became resentful and ultimately used the video as leverage for blackmail.
This scandal also devastated GLAM's career. After Kim Da-hee's sentencing, the group suffered a massive blow and officially disbanded in 2015. What was once a highly anticipated rookie girl group met its end in just a few years, becoming a prominent example of a "group destroyed overnight" in the Korean entertainment industry.
When the incident occurred, Lee Byung-hun and his wife, Lee Min-jung (이민정), had been married for only about a year, and Lee Min-jung was pregnant. The scandal severely impacted their marital relationship for a time. Lee Byung-hun later publicly apologized and personally visited his in-laws to seek forgiveness, eventually leading to the gradual repair of their marriage.
Lee Byung-hun continues to be active in the film industry, with his works and popularity remaining strong. He frequently interacts publicly with his wife, Lee Min-jung. However, whenever old news related to the scandal resurfaces, the "sex scandal" from years past inevitably becomes a focal point of public discussion.
As for Kim Si-won, after the incident, she transitioned to working as a live streamer on AfreecaTV until she announced her retirement from streaming in January of last year. At the time, she wrote, "I want to leave now, and I will never come back." Her recent appearance at the BIGBANG concert, after stepping away from streaming, unexpectedly brought her name back into the Korean entertainment news spotlight after years of silence.
