Who was Yang So-ra? KBS exposes s*xual assault and police failure in actress' tragic death

Yang So-ra was a South Korean supporting actress and a graduate student. She worked as an extra in the Korean film industry. Her life ended in tragedy after she became a victim of repeated s*xual assault and was failed by the legal system.

Yang’s story was not widely known until 2025. A KBS2 investigative show called Smoking Gun revealed the full story of what had happened to her. The episode brought attention to the abuse she faced and the failure of authorities to act on her complaints.

The case is now seen as an example of the problems in the Korean entertainment industry. It also highlights how victims of abuse are often ignored by police and other institutions meant to protect them.

Yang So-ra's repeated assaults on Set

As reported by Allkpop on July 17, 2025, Yang So-ra began working as an extra alongside her younger sister, Yang So-jeong. While her sister left the industry early, Yang So-ra continued. Over several months, she was s*xually assaulted up to 40 times by 12 different men. These included assistant directors and crew members who used their power to harm her.

According to Kbizoom’s article on July 18, 2025, the assaults happened in remote filming areas, in vehicles, and even during breaks on set. She was sometimes isolated and even held captive for days. She tried to keep records, including audio and written notes.

Yang reported the crimes to the police, but they did not act. The people who assaulted her continued to work freely in the industry. No protection was given to Yang, and she continued to be in danger.

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Police negligence and family tragedy

As reported by The Korea Times on July 22, 2025, the police treated Yang So-ra unfairly during the investigation. They told her to forget about it and try to move on. During questioning, she was forced to face one of her abusers. She was even asked to draw his private parts as part of the investigation.

Because of this treatment and lack of support, Yang withdrew her complaint after two years. She said she could not handle the pressure and trauma any longer. In August 2009, she died by suicide.

Six days later, her sister Yang So-jeong also died by suicide. She blamed herself for introducing her sister to the film industry. Their father died shortly after from grief. Their mother publicly said that the police were responsible for the deaths of her daughters.

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Yang So-ra’s story has raised serious questions about safety in the film industry and how police handle cases of abuse. The KBS Smoking Gun episode gave a full view of what she suffered and how badly the system failed her.

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