A post on Soop by a streamer on Tuesday, who held a one-man protest in front of a criminal ring on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The post reads, "I am considered a dead man on some platforms ... but I am alive." (Screen capture from SOOP)
A post on Soop by a streamer on Tuesday, who held a one-man protest in front of a criminal ring on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The post reads, "I am considered a dead man on some platforms ... but I am alive." (Screen capture from SOOP)

A South Korean online streamer sparked controversy Sunday after he livestreamed a one-man protest outside a criminal compound in Cambodia, amid growing reports of kidnappings and murders involving Koreans in the country.

The streamer, who broadcasts on the platform Soop, had announced Saturday that he was flying to Cambodia. On arrival, he went live in front of a complex on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, shouting slogans such as “Free Koreans!” and “Free the victims of forced confinement!”

As he livestreamed, a man emerged from the compound, photographed his face and released a guard dog. “What did you just film?” the streamer shouted back as he captured the tense exchange.

The stream drew 20,000 live viewers and by Tuesday morning had reached 360,000 cumulative views, nearly 10 times the streamer's usual audience. As his broadcasts from Cambodia began gaining traction, Soop intervened in a live chat, urging him to stop streaming and warning of potential danger.

“Your personal safety may be at risk. We’ve confirmed that locals are taking photos of you,” a platform administrator wrote in a comment. “Given the growing public attention in Korea, we ask that you stop your broadcast.”

Later that afternoon, the streamer reassured his viewers that he had safely returned to his accommodation. “Many people are worried, so I wanted to leave an update,” he said. “The driver dropped me off elsewhere, and I pretended to keep filming as I made my way back. I’m fine, don’t worry.”

He later posted a photo from a swimming pool, adding, “I arrived safely. Even if things turn bad, I came here knowing the risks. Please don’t make false reports or worry about me.”

The incident has divided online opinion in Korea, with some viewers criticizing his actions as reckless. “Why risk your life for views?” one comment read. Another asked, “What’s the point of entering an area under a special travel advisory?”

According to South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, the Korean Embassy in Cambodia received 330 reports of job scams and confinement-related crimes between January and August. In August, a Korean university student was tortured to death by a suspected local crime ring.


seungku99@heraldcorp.com