1,600 People Were Secretly Filmed in South Korean Hotel Rooms, Live-Streamed Online
CREEPY
Approximately 1,600 people have been filmed without their knowledge while staying at hotels in South Korea, authorities said Wednesday. CNN reports the covert footage was then live-streamed online to a site where paying customers would watch—and, for $44.95 a month, replay their favorite streams. The service allegedly netted about $6,000 since Nov. 2018. Police said two men have been arrested and two more are being investigated for the illicit scheme that spanned 42 rooms, 30 hotels, and 10 cities. There’s no evidence that any of the hotels were aware of the hidden cameras, which appear to have been embedded in TV boxes, wall sockets, and hairdryer holders. South Korea has struggled with an epidemic of covert filming: In 2017, CNN notes, police received more than 6,400 illegal-filming reports.