She named 12 perpetrators but the police took no significant action.
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The story of a young actress named Yang So Ra, who jumped to her death after being repeatedly assaulted by multiple individuals at a filming site, has triggered an intense public response in South Korea.
Yang So Ra | KBS2
Though Yang passed away in 2009, her story drew public attention after being featured in KBS2’s crime program Smoking Gun in July 2025. She and her sister were both aspiring actresses and were working as extras in the industry. However, Yang tragically ended her life after claiming to be repeatedly sexually assaulted by 12 different individuals at a filming site at least 40 times. Despite filing a report, she was forced to withdraw all charges two years later and committed suicide. Six days after her passing, her sister also passed away, supposedly due to overwhelming guilt.
Now, a petition demanding a proper probe into her case has drawn massive public support. The petition, titled “Petition Requesting a Parliamentary Hearing and Special Prosecutor Regarding the Supporting Actress Gang Sexual Assault Case,” posted on the National Assembly’s electronic public petition platform, has garnered nearly 20,000 signatures as of January 3.
The petitioner demanded that the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal of charges in the suicide cases of Yang So Ra and her sister, Yang So Jung, be made public, raising suspicions about pressure from state authorities. They also pointed out that the victim was denied justice due to the failure of the authorities, a claim which was corroborated by Yang’s mother.
Yang So Ra (left) and Yang So Jung (right)
The petitioner wrote that a detailed investigation was needed because even the court stated in an addendum to the ruling that the case reflected a tragic failure of public authority. They requested a National Assembly hearing to serve justice that has already been delayed way too much.
After the passing of Yang and her younger sister, their father also eventually succumbed to cerebral hemorrhage. The mother is carrying on a lonely fight seeking justice.
You can read more about the case here:
Sexual Assault And Police Negligence— The Infuriating Death Of Aspiring Actress Yang So Ra