January 26, 2021
After Being Accused of Sexual Assault By Multiple Men, 'Drag Race' Star Soju Responds
READ TIME: 5 MIN.
"RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 11 star Soju is responding to allegations of sexual assault made by at least three men who came forward on social media Friday, the entertainment website Screen Rant reports.
Twitter user @mynameisntkev_ shared a detailed statement on Jan. 21 accusing Soju, real name Tony Hyunsoo Ha, of sexual assault, writing, "From January of 2016 to January of 2018, I was sexually assaulted, manipulated, and gaslit by Soju several times." The next day, Twitter user @GlamourCadaver came forward to allege Soju of sexual assault, writing it allegedly took place between September 2016 and December 2017. A third person who uses the handle @mx_kevyn shared alleged direct messages between them and Soju. EDGE has not been able to verify any of the allegations.
"RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars" winner Shea Coule� responded to @mynameisntkev, writing that they should be "proud" and that she hopes "Soju can find it within themselves to atone for their harm."
Soju, who has since deleted his Twitter account, responded to the accusations in a statement to Out magazine:
While I await full advice from my legal representative to make an official statement, I will share that I have anticipated these claims after threats and an extortion attempt were sent to me as recently as January 2020. These claims were first brought to my attention by a contact asking for a large sum of money, threats that they would make my life difficult if I did not pay, as well as full admission their lawyer saw this 'case' as an opportunity to spread her name. I have photographic proof of these attempts, among other evidence to point these claims have been orchestrated towards me, and I will share when my full case is prepared.
In the meantime, I ask for open-mindedness from the community as I seek to bring truth. I would never dismiss or diminish a victim's experience, but all of the current evidence presented indicates this has been a plan in the works for more than year. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Additionally, Soju, 29, took to Instagram to make a lengthier statement, writing: "I think it's incredibly important that we take victims seriously, and that's exactly what I want to do. In this case, though, there are purported facts that are misleading, completely false, or misunderstood. There are always two sides to every story, and I believe that I need to tell mine."
The YouTuber goes on to talk about his coming out experience and that he had a "habit of dealing with my insecurity with hookup culture. I slept with guys to feel desirable. Sex to me was a way to feel validated by the world."
"At the time, I was promiscuous and led a stereotypically 'f-boy' life. That being said, I never once in my life did anything without the other person's consent," Soju goes on to write. "Consent matters. No matter how much I wanted to have sex with someone, I never proceeded without the partner's permission. And never once did I take advantage of someone when they were too drunk to make decisions or blacked out."
He goes on to write that last year he was "blackmailed and had to use the law to protect myself from extortion. I want to take accountability for my actions–but only for the actions I have actually done."
He adds:
Right now, I need some time to step away for my own well-being. While my legal team decide on what next step to take, I have decided to take a hiatus and remove myself from my platform. I want to learn and I want to grow.
I'm sorry to everyone who feel disappointed by me. I'm sorry to anyone that I hurt in any way, shape, or form. Thank you for your understanding and your patience.
Find Soju's statement in full below.
