Sex Work Review Writer 'Black Owl' Sentenced to Imprisonment in Appeal

A 30-year-old man, referred to as A, who received money from sex work operators and posted reviews of sex work under the pseudonym 'Black Owl,' was sentenced to imprisonment in the appeals court.

On the 18th, the Suwon District Court's Criminal Appeal Division 9 (Chief Judge Kim Jun-hyuk) ordered the same sentence of one year in prison and the confiscation of 88.48 million won for A's violation of the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Sexual Commerce and the Act on the Prevention of Sexual Violence Crimes (Illegal Filming using Cameras) in the appeals trial.

The appeals court changed the indictment at the request of the prosecution, nullifying the original sentence and issuing a new ruling.

The first trial court stated in its ruling last December, "Considering the content and method of the defendant's crime, the moral harm to society is significant, and the profits obtained from the crime are considerable."

However, it noted, "The defendant acknowledges the crime and shows remorse, and the videos posted do not appear to have been filmed without the other party's consent."

The appeals court stated, "The content regarding the judgment in this case is complex, but you may withdraw if you wish after reviewing the ruling again and submit your appeal."

Organized Crime with Hundreds of Sex Work Reviews Over Five Years

A was arrested and indicted last August for receiving money after filming scenes of sex work at hundreds of establishments in the metropolitan area, including Gangnam in Seoul and Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province, from 2019 until August of last year, and posting them as reviews on sex work advertisement sites.

It is reported that A, known online as 'Black Owl,' was one of the most prominent so-called 'writers' among sex work operators.

Investigations revealed that A charged between 100,000 to 400,000 won per review and filmed hundreds of review videos over five years.

In particular, A is found to have committed the crime using professional knowledge and equipment, including camera lenses nearing tens of millions of won, 27 professional cameras, and lighting.

A promoted the establishments by posting review comments and GIF files on sex work advertisement sites, receiving free access to the establishments or monetary payments in return.

Furthermore, he disseminated videos exposing the pseudonyms, ages, and locations of sex workers. It has been confirmed that he filmed approximately 2,000 such videos.

Referred to as 'Black Owl,' A is an optical lens researcher who completed a doctoral program related to cameras and is listed as a notable person on online portal sites.

Image source: Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency, reference images to aid the understanding of the article / gettyimagesbank