Pianist fined 1 million won for purchasing sex at massage parlor, court denies challenge over evidence

A prominent pianist was fined 1 million won ($710) on Thursday for purchasing sex at a massage parlor, following a trial in which the musician challenged the admissibility of key evidence.

The Seoul Central District Court building in Seocho District, southern Seoul, is seen on Nov. 15, 2024. [YONHAP]

A prominent pianist was fined 1 million won ($710) on Thursday for purchasing sex at a massage parlor, following a trial in which the musician challenged the admissibility of key evidence.

The Seoul Central District Court handed down the fine to the pianist for violating the Act on the Punishment of Arrangement of Commercial Sex Acts. The pianist appeared in person at the sentencing hearing.

During the trial, the musician argued that an audio recording of the encounter, which was used as evidence, had been obtained illegally. The court rejected that claim.

“The investigative authorities obtained the data from the defendant’s phone under a valid warrant,” the court said. “It appears that the defendant gave the password to the victim for some reason, allowing the complainant to access the files. The authorities later retrieved the voice recordings through a separate, lawful warrant — therefore, the evidence is not inadmissible.”

The pianist, a multiple prize winner at international piano competitions, was accused of engaging in prostitution with a female masseuse at a massage parlor in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, in 2020.

In December last year, the court initially issued a summary order of a 2 million won fine. The pianist rejected the order and requested a formal trial.

A summary order is a type of legal ruling that imposes a fine or penalty without a full trial. A defendant may request a formal trial within a week of receiving the order.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JUNG SI-NAE [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]