Requests for Photos and Videos, Threats, and Grooming
Audition scams
How grooming uses praise and a sense of closeness to solicit photos, what to do if someone threatens to share recorded material, and where to get free removal support.
1. How grooming starts
- They lead with praise and promises of opportunities, saying things like, "You’re really talented" or "I’ll recommend you specially."
- They move the conversation to a personal messenger instead of an official channel and say, "Keep this secret from your parents."
- They start by asking for ordinary photos, then gradually request more revealing photos and videos.
- They offer gifts, money, or audition opportunities, then use them as leverage to make bigger demands.
2. What the law prohibits
Under the 「아동·청소년의 성보호에 관한 법률」 (Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse), adults can be punished for engaging in sexual conversations with children or teens for sexual purposes, or for enticing or soliciting them to engage in sexual acts. This applies whether it happens online or in person. Threatening to share recorded material is also a crime.
3. If you are being threatened
- Do not send money or additional photos. The demands usually do not stop and only escalate.
- Save screenshots of the conversation, account, and demands, and save the person’s profile URL before blocking them.
- Do not try to handle it alone. Tell a trusted adult. The victim has done nothing wrong.
4. Where to get help
- Emergencies and reporting: 112
- Central Digital Sexual Crime Victim Support Center 02-735-8994: Counseling, help removing recorded material, monitoring for distribution, and referrals for investigative and legal support (free)
- Women’s Emergency Hotline 1366: 24-hour counseling
- Youth Counseling 1388: Phone, text, and KakaoTalk
When requesting help with removal, prepare the URL of the post where the material was shared and screenshots to speed up the process.
Source: 중앙디지털성범죄피해자지원센터
Translated from Korean by StagePass. The Korean original is authoritative.