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Stephanie Su
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Co-host
Bada bing, Bada boom.
Stephanie Su
What do you do when Your favorite creator, YouTuber TikToker, they just stop posting. They disappear. There is no warning. There is no community post. They're just gone. And you think that maybe they're coming back next week or maybe they just need a two week break maximum, but they're gone forever. They make no updates on any other platform. I mean, are you convinced that they're dead? Are you convinced that they've been kidnapped? Or do you think that they're just off in the middle of Montana joining a cult? Usually I would say the first two are the natural Internet reactions, especially when the creator has gone missing for too long. But sometimes the real explanation is much weirder than all of that. A YouTube channel run by a father and son by the name of Mac Adventures. Their main thing is going on their motorcycles and exploring places that they really should not be exploring, like Area 51, the restricted areas. The last video ever uploaded to their channel is titled Area 51. Camo dudes held us at gunpoint. Again, extended version, which they're just straight up vlogging themselves, committing crimes. It's showing them trespassing past the point of the signs that read no trespassing. Maximum punishment, $1,000 fine, six months imprisonment, or both. Strictly enforced. But they do trespass. They upload the video and then they vanish. They disappear completely. For years. They're just gone before they finally come back with a video. And this time it's just the sun talking and everyone thinks that his entire behavior is unsettling. It's bizarre. He has suddenly changed his mind completely to stating that there really is no reasonable reason in which anybody should be going to Area 51 past the gate. In fact, it's actually boring. There's nothing to see there. There's nothing there at all. Which are all very fair, valid points. But the way that he's expressing it is very odd because their entire channel was about exploring Area 51. It's not like he's saying, hey, listen, when we got in there, we got fined, we got in trouble, and if you're watching this, we just want you to know, don't be dumb like us. We didn't even see anything cool in there. It was boring. And we lost money and we almost went to jail. Don't do it. There's nothing behind those gates. That's not what he said. He says if there were actually people planning to do something, anything past the gate, like a raid, that's just, like, dumb. I never really understood that. I never really understood this whole Area 51 thing. Whether my videos or other videos out there in the world on Area 51 got people wanting to do a raid. Like, who cares? Like, I'm not trying to be mean, but, like, who cares what's back there? You know? Like, it's just like. It's just like a military base. It's like going to Camp Hilton and saying, let's go raid Camp Hilton. Like, it's. It's just a military base, and I'm sure they have testing, like, equipment and like, whatever. Cool. You know, that's cool. But, like, why? Maybe because it's out in the middle of nowhere and there's, like, you know, science fiction and movies about it. I don't know. Like, it's just. It's boring, quite frankly. It feels evasive and vague. The whole time he's recording this video, he keeps glancing to the side. People say that he just seems not normal. He seems not like the son that they remember in all of the videos when they would explore Area 51.
Co-host
How old is this son?
Stephanie Su
He looks like he's in his mid to late 20s.
Co-host
And how long was he gone for?
Stephanie Su
They were gone for two years. Okay, they're gone for two years, and then they upload this very strange, hard to put your finger on video about Area 51 and how it's boring. And then they disappear again. And like I said, sometimes when creators go missing online, it's nothing. Sometimes they're just mentally burnt out or it's just worse than all of that. Like, July 3, 2023, Mama Guy post what appears to be his very last TikTok for a long time.
Co-host
Okay. Before Mama Guy.
Stephanie Su
Yes.
Co-host
Are they just gone?
Stephanie Su
Yeah, they're just gone. That's it. Mac Adventures is just gone.
Co-host
Nobody knows what's going on. I mean, there's conspiracy theories and that's it.
Stephanie Su
We assume that they're safe. We assume that they're fine. They said that they sold their motorcycles because they just weren't into it anymore. So that was their main method of transportation and exploitation, exploring and the basis of their videos. But they got rid of the motorcycle, so there's really no point in making videos. Which then just made everybody even more suspicious. But I don't think that they're in jail. I don't think that they're being held by aliens or any of that. I think they're okay. But just what happened in that two year span? Everybody's got a lot of questions. And the same thing is happening in real time right now. July 3, 2023, Mama Boy, Mama guy, whatever you wanna call him. And this guy is gonna be very familiar to you once I start explaining what he does. But he is someone. 50 million TikTok followers. 50 million. And he posts what appears to be his very last TikTok for a very long time. This is in 2023. If you don't know Mama Guy, Mama Boy, he's one of those TikTok reaction guys. I mean, you see someone doing a hack, like putting a popcorn kernel in the middle of a hair straightener and then watching it pop and then it's a stitch to a creator, testing it out to see if it works. But his whole branding, his whole trademark and why he's called Mama boy, Mama guy by people is when he is scared, impressed, exc. He screams like mama. But in like a really. Koreans call it like a really Duke Young way. Like, it's very perverted sounding. I don't know if it. I don't think it comes across as perverted to people who don't speak Korean. But like, I guess in like the Korean humor sense, it's kind of like that Nikki humor. Very.
Co-host
Yeah, but he's famous.
Stephanie Su
Very famous.
Co-host
Is he. Was he the number one followed or.
Stephanie Su
No, he was the number one followed on TikTok in South Korea. Korea. Aside from celebrities like BTS and Blackpink.
Co-host
So he was number one influencer in Korea. Yes, you can say.
Stephanie Su
But what's crazy is no one in Korea knows him.
Co-host
Really?
Stephanie Su
Yeah. Nobody knows who this guy is. In fact, he was invited to this massive award show with Korean celebrities, Korean actors, a list actors, Korean idols. And everyone is confused about who this guy is and why he's acting a mess on stage. It was weird.
Co-host
That's just so crazy to think like how big Internet is now. Like TikTok and stuff. You can have 50 million followers and nobody knows you outside of it. Because I've never heard of this guy until this.
Stephanie Su
Really? You haven't heard of him? I came across a few of his videos before. The way that I would describe his videos is it's feel good content. It's the epitome of brain rot. If your FYP is as depressing as mine can get, where it's just like a dark hole of political dysfunction and what's going on in the world. You see his video and you're like, oh, okay, I guess a straightener does pop a popcorn kernel and then you move on. But it's not necessarily riveting. Like you're not going to go and look for his videos or at least I don't. He's one of those people. By 2023, he had over 50 million followers on TikTok. He was one of the bigger creators doing this type of content before. He just vanishes. There's no goodbye, there's no hiatus notice, no mention of a mental health break. He just straight up vanishes. His last video uploaded is another reaction video. Like there's no reason for anyone to believe that Mama Guy has been kidnapped by aliens or something sinister happened to him at Area 51. He just is gone. After a very normal post, his fans naturally think maybe it was mental health struggles. But two years later, in 2025, he comes back with a statement. It is a long winded confusing statement that starts hello.
Co-host
The statement is in text, right? He's not talking.
Stephanie Su
No. There was like a brief TikTok video that he uploaded, but then it got deleted. But it wasn't lengthy. It was him like bowing an apology. It was a mess. It's just text in Korean and in English. He writes, hello to everyone who knows me. I want to express my deepest apologies for the disappointment and hurt that I've caused. I should have shown you only my best side, but due to my poor judgment and mistakes, I caused discomfort to many of you and hurt those involved. I deeply reflect on my actions and offer my heartfelt apologies. In short, he writes, Since July 2023, I have fully cooperated with legal proceedings related to this incident. After a long and difficult process, I was found not guilty of the major charges that were widely reported. A lot of people are confused at what's going on. Even like this is a very vague statement, like what do you mean that you were found not guilty? And, like, what were the charges? You're being very vague. He says that the legal process was long, arduous, terrifying. At first, I was overwhelmed by fear. Some people advised me to admit to the charges, saying it might result in a lighter sentence, even if they weren't true. But after long and difficult contemplation, I realized that what I feared most was not being able to tell the truth. Trying to prove something I haven't done was extremely difficult. I'm truly sorry, and I respectfully tell you that I am not the man who kicked a woman in the video. He is a different person. The video that Mamaguy is talking about is the viral CCTV video from a South Korean SA case. It's called the Busan Roundhouse Kick case, and we've actually covered it. In the lobby of an apartment building, a guy stalks a girl. All the way home. Like, they just made eye contact on the street. He stalks her home, approaches her. Before she can react, he spins and kicks her straight in the head, straight to her skull, knocking her unconscious. He then drags her to the stairwell area where there are no cameras so that he can try to assault her. If you're putting all the information together based off of his statement, it sounds like he was accused illegally of being the guy in the video that kicks and essays that woman. He's basically being framed for it. He fights the charges legally, the main charges are dropped, and he fought to prove his innocence. But regardless, he's still very sad at disappointing his fans for not being more transparent and for being gone for the past two years. That's the message that sounds like it's being delivered. Right. If you know nothing about him or if you know nothing about the case, it would be understandable that that's exactly what happened. Except when you look just a little bit further into it, you realize nobody really thought that he was the guy in the CCTV video kicking the woman. Maybe a few TikTok accounts, but this was not a widespread belief.
Co-host
Because that guy was caught, correct?
Stephanie Su
Yeah.
Co-host
Like we talked about it, he was caught and he was caught.
Stephanie Su
Yeah. And even if you just look at the figure of both of them, it's not him. I mean, this is not a widespread belief. Nobody really thought he was the guy in that video until he posted the apology statement. And then everyone was like, guys, remember how everyone thought that he was the guy in the video? Which nobody really thought. Well, guess what? He's not. I found more comments saying, hey, guys, remember when everyone thought he was the guy in the video. He's not. Versus this is the guy in the video. Yeah, I would say like 95% of them are these clarification comments crazy. And that's when the videos start popping up of people saying, see, look, this guy has a tattoo on his arm in the CCTV camera of the elevator bay. And Mama Guy does not. It almost feels like Mama Guy is the one spreading this rumor that people thought that he was the one in the CCTV video, which why would he do that? State a rumor that nobody really believes and then disprove the rumor that again, nobody really believed in the first place. Why would he do that? It just doesn't make any sense. Why bring attention to it if it's not even true to begin with and nobody was talking about it? Well, maybe it's because he's hiding something bigger. Maybe what he did is worse than being accused, falsely accused of being the guy in the viral CCTV video. This is the case of Mama Guy or SEO Won Jung, the Korean TikToker with 55 million followers who was found guilty of sexual assault and has now come back online and convinced his followers that he's innocent. He's convinced people to support a fully convicted rapist so that he can go back to posting TikToks.
Co-host
And it worked.
Stephanie Su
And it's working. We would like to thank today's sponsors who have made it possible for Rotten Mango to support the Joyful Heart Foundation. They're working to transform society's response to SADV and ca. This episode's partner have also made it possible to support our growing team. And we'd also like to thank you guys for your continued support. As always, full show notes are available@rootten manglepodcast.com Today's case involves mentions of SA. Please take time if this is too much for you. And we had help from our professional Korean researchers who worked on this case. But sometimes things don't translate perfectly with figures of speech. So please let us know if anything is missing or mistranslated in the comments. That said, one big thing that I want to clear up is that there's a rumor that Mama Guy was acquitted and that is completely, entirely false. That is not a true story statement. He was charged and he was convicted. This is someone that has a charge of sexual assault against a woman on his record. He was convicted of it. He has been found guilty of it. There's no question about his innocence because he is not innocent.
Co-host
I think the case is crazy because everyone thinks he's innocent right now the whole Internet thinks he's innocent.
Stephanie Su
It's so infuriating. And when you. I feel like they've got to be bots or something.
Co-host
No, I think people are just taking whatever because you said the information is so limited and nobody knows anything about this case is so hush hush.
Stephanie Su
Right?
Co-host
Is that what's going on?
Stephanie Su
Yeah. And he's such a blatant manipulator and he is so. He has no shame. He has no shame at trying to twist words and twist his apology statement to make it seem like he's innocent. I genuinely have a personal deep rooted disliking for this guy. And I don't know, it's definitely not just me because my Korean researchers and the whole RM team have made it ourselves second hobby now aside from rm. If he ever is trying to do merch, if he's ever trying to have a video game because this is what he was planning to do before he got convicted of sa, you better believe we will be on the front lines saying something. The way that he is so blatant about his lies and manipulation is something that I haven't even seen before. I feel like you see celebrities who are accused of crimes all the time and they try to make all these stupid things, statements of how remorseful they are and it's kind of annoying because you can tell that they're not remorseful in any sense of the word. But the, the statement itself is like, oh, I feel so remorseful and ashamed. But his statements are so blatantly. I just. It makes me so angry.
Co-host
Yeah.
Stephanie Su
With that being said, let's get started. One of the rotten Mango team members, who we'll call Jay, has a very loving but also very grumpy old man rescue cat named Mandu, which if you guys don't know Korean, it's dumpling. It fits him perfectly because he's definitely a little bit on the pudgier side. Which actually prompted Jay to look for a better balanced cat food and wellness pet food, was her answer. I say this with all the love in the world, but for how pudgy Mandu is, he's quite picky. He'll literally go on hunger strikes if Jae tries to change his diet up even a tiny bit. So she needed to find the perfect match for Mandu and wellness cat food. Delivered from real shreds of chicken and fish and wellness appetizing entrees to protein packed culinary crafted recipes with wellness signature selects to over 90 mouthwatering options and wellness complete health. There's a delicious dish for every feline family member. Wellness Pet Food transforms your love for your cat into real, visible benefits through complete and balanced meals they can taste and crave. Give your cat vet recommended scientifically proven nutrition with Wellness Cat Food. That's the kind of love you both understand. Wellness Pet Food Feed well, Be well. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, the Name your price tool from Progressive. You can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it@progressive.com, progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states let's get real about home surveillance. If a burglar breaks into your house and the alarm goes off, that's not really security. That's just a variation expensive notification that you are being actively robbed. But what if your security system could prevent the break in from happening in the first place? Simply safe is home security designed to stop crime before it happens? SimpliSafe's AI powered cameras don't just sit there waiting for someone to smash a window. They're actively watching for suspicious activity. When the system detects a real threat, trained security agents get alerted immediately and can intervene. They'll speak directly to the intruder through the system, let them know they're being recorded, announce that police are already on their way, and even trigger spotlights and sirens if needed. The peace of mind I have after switching to Simplisafe is incredible. It was easy to set up around my home and it's all connected to their app, meaning I can pull up my phone and check in on my house from anywhere, get instant alerts if anything looks suspicious, and know that if something does happen, real people are watching and ready to take action immediately. That's what actual security should look like. Right now, my listeners can save 50% on a SimpliSafe home security system at simplisafe.com rotten. That's simplisafe.com rotten. There's no safe like Simplisafe. There are a few dozen people out there that may have quietly changed the trajectory of the entire country. I mean, nobody really knows about them. Maybe they do, but they have no idea how they've impacted history, if you will. These handful of people just have weirdly specific skills that change history of the entire nation and we barely know about it. They are the sparring partners for potential presidential candidates to practice for the big presidential debate. So before each presidential debate, even the vice presidential debate, the candidates will have around 12 mock debates.
Co-host
Wow.
Stephanie Su
Fake debates. And the sparring partner is the same person for all 12 of them.
Co-host
Is it for America or Korea or typically for America?
Stephanie Su
These debates are, I mean, you see them highly publicized. These are big moments. Although I think the statistics on how much the debates actually sway the voters are very limited. It's just a big moment in the campaign. But I think by that point most people are very. They're decided on which party. It's party divisive. These sparring partners, they're usually politicians or senators who are well versed in the opponent's viewpoint. They will become that opponent for the candidate. They will mimic the opponent's cadence. More importantly, they will study all of their talking points, deliver them in a debate in an effort to win. They cannot be people pleasers, they cannot be yes men. They have to truly be the opponent and try to tear down the candidate. By doing that, they're trying to help the candidate win. It's a very interesting idea. Mitt Romney, who is going up against Obama, stated about his sparring partner. I wanted to kick him out of the room, he was so good. Other candidates have taken it even further. They want to replicate the exact debate room down to the positioning of the podiums and how close they are to the opponents. They even recreate the ambient temperature of the room to make sure nothing goes awry just because it's a little hot or a little too cold. They say for presidential debates you spend at least half the time doing these mock debates and then you leave the rest of the time for the Murder Board. That's what they call it. The Murder Board consists of subject matter experts. They're the board and they come in just to murder every single one of your talking points, to disprove you, to argue with you, with science and facts that you probably don't have because you're a presidential candidate and you're not well versed in every single aspect of the world and politics, it is to kill all of your inadequate statements before it reaches the public. You've got the mock sessions, the Murder Board. You have to be careful of all of your micro facial expressions that can dominate post debate coverage. Smirk, eye roll all over the news. That's it. But one person who has been an advisor for many debates states ultimately it doesn't really matter because the greatest politicians do better in the real debates than the mock ones. The greatest come alive when the stakes are high. They want that pressure. That's when they actually do their best. But other than that, some other small things that they have to worry about is you probably have to know every single logical fallacy in existence. No place breeds fallacies like the world of politics. This is their true home. This is their humble abode. Logical fallacies are little tricks your brain makes or people make on purpose to make you believe and think something is true even when it's not true. Basically, it's an argument that when you hear this argument, you think you know what valid. That's a good point. But at its core, it is pretty much entirely flawed logic. Because they appear to be correct, people get tricked into accepting them. The most common being an ad hominem fallacy, which ad hominem in Latin means to the man. So instead of attacking the opponent's logic or reasoning, you just attack the person. You see this so much in politics, it clearly has nothing to do with the opponent's argument, it's just about them. When logically speaking, even an unethical, even an idiot can make sound arguments. A quick example would be Margaret says we should consider implementing stricter environmental regulations to reduce pollution. Jacob argues, why should we listen to anything you say? You're not an environmental scientist. When have you ever cared about the environment? I heard you can't even keep a house plant alive. I mean, I guess you could argue, if you really must, that subjectively maybe these are good points. However, it's ad hominem fallacy. Margaret never claimed to be an environmental scientist, nor is expertise required to make a valid argument here. There is no proof of being brought up that she doesn't care for the environment and her affinity for over watering her succulents has no correlation to her statement. So this is just kind of a dumb argument. It's kind of like if you say, my friend tells me to eat clean every day, but she never eats cleanly, therefore her advice is not worth listening to. Is the friend annoying? Yes. However, the friend's failure to eat cleanly does not really negate the evidence supporting benefits of eating well. Or there's like the strawman fallacy. This is when someone's brain shuts down at the idea of processing even an ounce of nuance or content text someone who will go empty behind the eyes when something is not black or white. It's I wish you could help me more with housework. So you're saying I do nothing around the house? Then why are you even dating me? I don't want to go to dinner tonight. You never want to do anything with me. You literally hate spending time with me. We need to increase funding for public Schools. I mean, how do you disagree with something like that without seeming like a education hater or a certified dummy? So you say my opponent wants to throw unlimited money at schools with no oversight, no accountability, and he wants to do that with taxpayer money. That's not at all what they said. Essentially, you're exaggerating someone's point and then disproving the exaggerated point or finding issue with this exaggerated point. The position being attacked is not the position the opponent actually holds.
Co-host
But these things work.
Stephanie Su
Yeah, right.
Co-host
Oh, yeah, that's what they do.
Stephanie Su
Mama Guy is going to employ multiple of these. His favorite is going to be the red herring fallacy. Red herring is a type of fish that has a very pungent odor. It's believed that when hunters were training dogs back in the day, they would get foxes and they would rub red herring all over their tails to confuse the dogs before releasing the foxes to be hunted down by the dogs. The dogs would smell the red herring, they wouldn't get the foxes, and then they would eventually have to learn that they need to go for the original, initial, weaker scent of the fox that actually turned out to be a myth, like a red herring. Okay. I think they actually used red herring or, unfortunately, dead cats when training horses for war back in the day. It was to train them to be able to withstand chaos and the scent of death while everyone's dying in war regardless. A very depressing origin. But to put the red herring fallacy simply, it's when irrelevant information is introduced into an argument to divert attention away from the actual issue that needs to be discussed. For example, let's talk about Chris's misuse of campaign funds. Oh, really? Well, what about your voting record? You're just distracting the audience and making them go down a second rabbit hole. And what's bad is that most of the time, the second rabbit hole is pretty valid, but you're just taking the attention away. You asked me about X, but instead I'm going to answer and talk about Y. Or just changing the subject to something that sounds more important to avoid answering the question that you wanted me to address. That's the red herring, or the weak man fallacy, otherwise known as the cousin of the straw man fallacy that we went over, the weak man. Another one that Mama Guy loves to use is finding the weakest point of the opponent's argument and only defeating that point, therefore pretending like you have won the war, that you are defeating their entire position. Let's say person A believes all food except pizza should be banned. Person B believes all food except burgers should be banned. And person B is explaining their burger theory for 10 minutes. They're bringing up nutritional value, nutritional facts, the cost of making burgers the way that it can be manufactured and made in a production line that's much quicker. And lots of people love burgers, all of these things. And at the end they make a comment, probably more as a joke, that burgers just have a lot more fun ring to it than pizzas. Burgers is more fun to say. Person A, instead of arguing nutritional aspects, starts making fun of person B. Burgers have a nice ring to it. What about nuclear warfare? Doesn't that sound like a fun phrase? Imagine if we just did things because they sounded fun. Are we letting a toddler run this country? Get a grip. This is insanity. We're just gonna do something because we like the sound of burger. They never address anything else or these days, the weak man fallacy is more centered around the weak man in the group. It's like when you see a badly written, horribly misspelled, grammatically abhorrent comment made by someone who has the opposite political view as you, and you take a screenshot and you repost it saying, see, if you're on that party side, that means you're just as dumb and ridiculous as this person. That kind of falls into the weak man fallacy. But by all means, go ahead. I mean, who are we to get in the middle of a political showdown on social media about grammar, right? But you find the weakest part of their argument and you treat it like the whole argument, when in reality they probably have a lot of strong points that you just don't want to touch on. You expect people to use these fallacies when they talk about politics, but you don't expect them to come from a random comedy skit. TikToker with 50 million followers in his apology statement after being gone from the Internet for two years. The problem just comes down to the fact that people just don't care enough about Mama Guy to fact check his information. SEO Won Jung was one of the most followed South Koreans on TikTok. Most South Koreans have no clue who this guy is. They would see him on the street. They would not know this man. Summer of 2020, he starts his TikTok account. I will say, like most creators, myself included, he has very limited amounts of talent, relatively good WI FI connection, and moderately high tolerance for embarrassing himself. That that's pretty much it. There's nothing particularly skillful about his videos, but it ends up working. The first video he ever uploads gets 200,000 views. The next one, over a million views. And naturally, this convinces him that he is God's gift to earth and he must grace our measly presences with his infamous Mama videos. In just a single year, he grows to have 40 million followers. I mean, so maybe he does have some sort of reasoning to believe that he's extraordinary. He was at one point one of the top ten most followed TikTokers in the world. Wow. Additionally, he secures a spot in the Forbes 30 under 30 list for Asia. He has a video with Jason Derulo that has 3.1 million likes. It's like the. You know that trend where it was greeting people in different countries and you greet people in Korea and both sides are bowing, and then they greet in America and they're clasping hands.
Co-host
Oh, my gosh.
Stephanie Su
And then the third one is Jeff Mama Guy greeting in Korean and Jason Derulo greeting in the American style. And then he slaps him across the face because he's bowing.
Co-host
Oh, my God.
Stephanie Su
A lot of the comments are positive. You know, people are commenting on Mama Guy's videos. Today. I found out about your videos from my siblings, and after I watched a couple of them, I subscribed to your channels. I haven't really smiled or laughed like that. I mean, that was like the first time in years. It's not particularly my style of video that I like watching.
Co-host
Like. So he doesn't talk a lot, right?
Stephanie Su
No, he doesn't talk a lot. And, you know, I think I will say that sometimes Koreans, myself included, can have slightly bigger facial reactions. I know that in China, the recent Koreans reacting to food at dinner tables went viral. Your sister was showing us videos of.
Co-host
Like, oh, the way he eats. The CEO eats.
Stephanie Su
Yes, yes. But his is probably more over the top than all of that. It just feels more catered to. Younger demographics maybe, I guess, like very exaggerated screaming. Like he'll open something and go, and it's just like a box, you know, I think his main audience either just watches his videos when they show up on his fyp and they're light, they're not politically dense or heavy, so it's a nice break from the depressing world. Or people will just casually watch. Or perhaps it's young kids that are following him. He makes viral videos that go viral, but he's not someone that people really know much about. They don't really know his life or his personality. But judging based on solely off his mannerisms, he has a way of presenting himself to come off almost naive. He's shocked by everything. He is amazed by everything. He's entertained by everything. Therefore, it almost presents him as this slightly more innocent guy. I see people were under the impression that this is just a nice guy on the Internet making funny videos. And you know how people make those edits of influencers I would trust with my drink. I feel like he would have ended up on a lot of those lists. Like that's the energy that he gives off. But in Korean bookstores there is probably. Well, probably not anymore. But there was a book with a very poorly thought out title. It's called my 15 seconds. Nobody told the author about any of the references or memes that could arise in having your face plastered on the front cover next to the words in bold. My 15 seconds. 15 seconds of what? You know what. Or it could mean my 15 seconds of fame. Both could be applicable because this is Mama Guy's book that was sold in Korea. My Korean researchers actually translated the entire book into English so that I was able to read it. All I know about this entire book now is that it's very lengthy, self congratulatory, affirmational book that is only interesting to Mama Guy under the disguise of wanting to teach everyone how to start their own TikTok account.
Co-host
Oh really?
Stephanie Su
Yeah. He writes in the book. People around me often ask what secret method I use to become a global tiktoker. As soon as I meet them, many ask how and countless inquiries come through my DMs and comments. What about me allowed such rapid growth as a TikToker? I even received questions about whether I was a child of a TikTok executive, but of course not. When I started TikTok, I was just an ordinary college student. He says that a 15 second video can take him 24 hours to film. If I had to sum up the entire bull in one phrase, it would be the written variation of try being an influencer for a day like that. That's pretty much the whole entirety of the book. It's hard work. That's what he's telling you. He writes in his book. I actually spent a whole week examining my face, my facial angles in front of my phone. Through repeated practice, I studied which angles made my face look good, which expressions were funny, how I appeared in natural light, how images were produced, understanding light, what hairstyles look best, and what should be in the background.
Co-host
Really?
Stephanie Su
Yeah, because if you watch his tiktoks, you would not believe that they're that highly produced.
Co-host
Doesn't add up. Something doesn't Add up?
Stephanie Su
Yeah. He says that starting TikTok was a very lonely endeavor. He says he didn't have anyone to talk to about his struggles or someone to give him advice. He says, at those times, I would tell myself inwardly, the lonely you are, the more successful you will be. You need to know how to endure when you are lonely and struggling. You can't just give up because things are difficult. He has one chapter in his book that's just titled I Want to Create a Good Culture and Environment. He writes in that chapter, the role I want to take on is being someone who exudes joyful happiness. I want to share friendliness and healthiness that makes anyone want to hang out with me when they see me, whether on TikTok or in daily life. I know that followers and friends who watch me, they can only feel that joy if I'm genuinely enjoying myself. Wherever and whenever I meet anyone. I want to be someone who delivers joyful energy. He also just like, randomly throws into his book that his ideal type is someone who is cute and is very petite. The book has just way too much information that nobody necessarily ever cared about. And it doesn't particularly sound honest either. I was trying to put my finger onto what type of writing this is, because I don't know why it is irking to a lot of people, because even my Korean researchers were like, hey, so you know how it's bad in English, it's worse in Korean. So just letting you know, it's like, annoying, but in a way that you almost feel like you can't point your finger to why. And then I discovered why. It feels like when billionaires start writing memoirs and they romanticize all the obstacles that they had to overcome in their life, and it's somehow annoyingly pretentious. And also simultaneously, if I can do it, you can do it too. Energy encapsulated into one fucking annoying book that you want to throw across the room.
Co-host
So he's right. Writing his little origin story, like, how much he grinded and that kind of writing.
Stephanie Su
Exactly. But it's not truthful. It doesn't feel honest. It doesn't feel like, hey, no, I was having a mental breakdown every single day and I read a hate comment and I wanted to jump off the roof of a building. It's like I persevered for success because I want to at least change one person's life. Who's watching this? And it's like, you're doing reaction videos. None of us do videos that are that important ever in any context of this world. So it's just not that serious. He writes in his book that when he has to relieve stress, when the anxiety and the stress of being a global TikTok star starts to get too much, you know, he has levels to what he does, depending on the stress level. If he's moderately stressed, he will go to the gym and work out. If he's very stressed, he will walk in circles. He will pace his room. If he's very stressed, beyond comprehensive and function, he will go out drinking with his friends. He writes, when my mind gets complicated, I share soju shots with my friends. It will help clear my thoughts. And drinking doesn't solve problems, but I gained the courage to try and solve complex issues. And I'm grateful for my friends who are by my side. I don't have particular drinking habits. At most, I just get the urge to go home when extremely drunk.
Co-host
He said, when I drink alcohol, I'm solving problems inside.
Stephanie Su
Yeah, that's also an annoying thing in the book.
Co-host
No, you're just drinking alcohol. What are you talking about? You're just like hanging out with your.
Stephanie Su
Friends and like, maybe that does help you, but like, it's weird, but you're not solving anything. Yeah, then. July 2023, Mama Guy vanishes from the Internet. July 8, 2023, in South Korea. The police get a call to an apartment. There is an emergency. It seems like someone is being held captive, is trapped. Maybe not legally speaking, but it would make sense considering when the police get to the apartment in question, the people inside refuse to open the door. They have to call in the fire department to come. And when they get there, whoever is inside still is refusing to open. They have to force their way in. And they find two people, two men. What happened to the girl that called 911 or 112? The court document which we were able to get a hold of in South Korea, states the defendant, who is just identified in court documents, is a famous influencer with over 10 million YouTube followers. The defendant goes to the bar and ends up meeting with a girl. So the court documents, we were able to get them and they say that July 8th, mama guy defendant goes to a bar, meets a girl by chance, coincidentally, they exchange Instagram and they start dming each other. Two weeks later, they run into each other again at a different bar. And this time maybe it feels like fate, like maybe they should be friends. So they start drinking together. And then eventually they end up going to a second bar. They have two bottles of champagne and four bottles of soju. Then they go to a Convenience store, buy two more bottles of soju.
Co-host
Two people.
Stephanie Su
Initially, it was another friend of the victim that was there, but she decided to go home early. So I'm not entirely sure. At one point in the beverage consumption, she ends up leaving. But regardless, it's a lot of alcohol.
Co-host
That's a lot. Soju is like. What is that?
Stephanie Su
Oh, soju. I equate it to, like, rubbing alcohol. I know it's not. It's not as strong as vodka, but.
Co-host
But it's pretty. It's hard liquor, right?
Stephanie Su
Yeah. It's not. It's not a light time.
Co-host
It's not a beer.
Stephanie Su
No. Yeah. So they get four bottles of soju, two bottles of champagne, and then they go to a convenience store and buy two more bottles of soju, snacks and other drinks. And the defendant, mama guy, is like, hey, do you want to go to my friend's house? The victim probably is feeling safer around this guy because she's seen his Instagram. She knows that he's a very famous influencer, and there is a sense of safety that I think comes with interacting with people that have a large public presence, because you're like, you're not gonna risk your career and your whole life online to do something crazy. In fact, like, I feel like I would feel a little bit safer. Right. So she's like, okay, fine, I'll go to your friend's house. They get there, continue drinking. It's a small studio apartment. There's really just a bed in there. It's about four feet wide, seven feet long.
Co-host
Four feet wide?
Stephanie Su
Yeah.
Co-host
Seven feet long?
Stephanie Su
Yes. It's wider. It's.
Co-host
That's a bed.
Stephanie Su
Yeah.
Co-host
What? Okay.
Stephanie Su
It's like a tiny apartment. So they just put a little bed in there. That's pretty much it. They're all cramped in there. It's stuffy. The victim says she's way too intoxicated. She just wants to close her eyes for a second, take a nap. She can sober up, and then they can leave. Like, she just wants to go home, but she's so drunk, it would not be safe for her to try to go home right now. So she's like, I'm gonna close my eyes for a second. She knocks out. And the friend, the owner of the apartment, he brings over two pieces of protection from the sink. He starts groping the victim before fully essaying her. Then the defendant, mama guy, gets into the bed, starts groping her, removes her clothing down there completely and essays her. He claims that he used protection, but later it would turn out not to be the case because at the hospital, they found his DNA inside of her body. The friend, the owner of the apartment, is still groping her from the side of the bed while mama guy is fully essaying her her. This is around the time the victim starts waking up. And originally, the way that she reported it was because in Korea, you cannot record a video or take pictures without a loud sound. The silencing feature for camera taking pictures is disabled on all Korean phones because like a hidden camera, hidden picture up the skirt pictures were becoming a nuisance, were becoming a very big problem. You know, these manufacturers, they disabled it. So she starts hearing these sounds and it wakes her up from her intoxication. And she sees mama guy on top of her. She pushes him off and straight up tells him, this is sa. She calls the police, she gathers her belongings, and she runs out of there. The police get there, the two guys do not open the door, and the firefighters are forced to break in. The news slowly starts spreading in South Korea that a famous influencer fully essayed a girl with his friend after a night out of drinking. But it's not until months later that this is all connected. This happened July of 2023. Mama guy stops posting July of 2023. He just leaves the Internet without any explanation. So there were a few people that were wondering, is the defendant momma guy? There were a few people in Korea that were very much into the case that were trying to be Internet sleuths. But because of Korea's privacy laws, it's very hard to verify. Even the court document we received, it doesn't list him by name. His only identifying features really are. Is that it? He has a YouTube channel with over 10 million followers and that this happens around the time that he stops posting.
Co-host
So in July, was he taken to the jail or.
Stephanie Su
Yes, he was arrested.
Co-host
Ah, so he. Okay.
Stephanie Su
Korean mainstream media news outlets, they were either told more or investigative reporters were able to figure out who this guy was. And they decided that they were going to broadcast his YouTube page and his TikTok toks on their news channel while talking about this case, but with a blur filter. So you see someone's TikToks and YouTube videos playing in the background while the news anchor is saying, a man in his 20s with tens of millions of subscribers on YouTube and TikTok recently suddenly suspended all of his activities. Our investigations have confirmed that he has been brought to trial on charges of sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman with another man. He has even appeared on TV programs as his subscribers reached tens of millions of followers. Technically it could be anyone because it's blurred footage, but only technically, you can clearly tell that this is Mama Guy even through the blurred footage. His hair, his video style, I mean his head shape, pretty distinct. His hairstyle is the butt crack hair is kind of like how you call it with the butt crack hair where it just splits perfectly in the middle like butt curtains. His hair is like pretty distinct. He has curtain bangs looking like windows into his empty, empty skull. And the way his body moves, his mannerisms in his videos. I mean, people were very quickly able to cross reference the blurred videos to the real videos and it's very much him. Coupled with the fact that he's on hiatus, it is certain that the SAER is Mama Guy. Subsequently, and pretty swiftly, his TikTok account is banned, but his YouTube channel, the original one, is still up. The comments read from that time. He's the person I would least imagine to do what he did. He's a monster hiding behind that innocent face this whole time, bruh. Another one this dude took never judge a book by its cover to a whole new level. Skull emoji. Imagine him in prison yelling mama. Lol. No, now he's saying daddy in prison. One comment in Korean just reads, live long and always be sick. Nobody thinks that this guy's ever coming back. I mean, that's pretty much the end of the Mama Guy lore. He's essayed a girl while she was too intoxicated to consent. He's been convicted. Long live justice. And may he rot in the Korean prison system until he does come back. Five months ago, May 27, 2025, he posts a long winded statement almost two years after disappearing. And his full statement reads and full and see if you can spot out all the ways that he's framing the story to make people believe that he's innocent. Because it's a masterclass in shameless manipulation of facts. This statement is translated to English to read. Hello, this is Ox Jung. So to everyone who knows me, I want to express my deepest apologies for the disappointment and hurt that I've caused. I should have shown you only my best side, but due to my poor judgment and mistakes, I've caused discomfort to many of you and hurt those involved. I deeply reflect on my actions and offer my heartfelt apology. Over the past year, I've spent a lot of time looking back on myself and facing the consequences of my actions. I was able to grow because of your love and support. Thanks to you, I was given many meaningful opportunities and experiences. But I brought everything down with my own hands. And I let you down. Since July 2023, I have fully cooperated with the legal proceedings related to this incident, which he has, by the way. He argued in court during the original trial that the victim consented to the SA because he saw her open her eyes.
Co-host
That's crazy. So he said, eyes open. She consented.
Stephanie Su
Yeah. And she made noises.
Co-host
Was she drugged or was she just drunk?
Stephanie Su
It seems like she was just drunk, but overly intoxicated. But there is suspicion. We're not sure. That suspicion has not been proven in the court of law, though, legally speaking. He continues, after a long and difficult process. I was found not guilty of the major charges that were widely reported. Can you get. Can you see why? That. That's a weird sentence.
Co-host
Yeah, yeah. Like, first of all, what major charges is he talking about?
Stephanie Su
Exactly? Okay, so the major charge that he's talking about when he says, I was found not guilty of the major charges, that makes it sound like the worst charges. The essay charges were dropped because those are the most major charges. Right. But then he asked ads that were widely reported. So in the very beginning, when this case erupted, it was reported that he was filming the assaults. So a lot of the attention was on. And he filmed it. And he filmed it because he's a content creator and he's filming things like this.
Co-host
See, that's what I thought.
Stephanie Su
Yes. That was dropped. The essay charges are still there and he was found guilty of them.
Co-host
I thought he only was charged for filming. I didn't even know that he was assaulted.
Stephanie Su
Oh, yeah. Oh, it gets crazier. It gets crazier. So he's saying, I. The charges. I was found not guilty of the major charges that were widely reported. So it's not the major charges in general, it's that were widely reported. Wow. He says, I never filmed the other party. The investigation was closed without charges. The claims. And again, the investigation was closed without charges. Charges only pertains to the filming charge. Wow. Only the filming charge. He says the claims about unlawful confinement. So originally, like I was saying, it was reported that some media outlets were also based on misinformation of they wouldn't open the door for the police. So a lot of people thought the victim was in there with them. So they're like, holding her captive and won't open the door. He's saying, well, that was misinformation. It doesn't.
Co-host
Yeah, yeah. He's just pointing out all the things. That's. The rumors that are false.
Stephanie Su
Yeah. I mean, technically, she left before they refused to let the police come into the apartment. But that's not why people hate you.
Co-host
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, this sounds like this has to be crafted by a lawyer, too.
Stephanie Su
Yeah. So we reached out to his agency for comment. My Korean research. Our Korean researchers are incredible. I love them. But they didn't respond. We've been like, hounding them. Them.
Co-host
Yeah. Because it seems like every wording is legally correct.
Stephanie Su
Yes, it's legally correct. And I also. And I say this with as much disrespect as possible. I don't think that he is anywhere near competent enough.
Co-host
Yeah. To. To.
Stephanie Su
To craft a statement like this.
Co-host
Yeah. And then don't you think, like the way that he handled this whole case.
Stephanie Su
Yeah.
Co-host
From the beginning, it's like so well prepared. Like, he basically got away with everything.
Stephanie Su
And a lot of Koreans hate him. Even though they didn't know him, they hate him now because they're saying this is another case of money buys innocence. Because this guy was making like $40,000 a month and he was bragging about it. He probably used a lot of that to get a really good attorney. And in Korea, I think there's a little bit more context. I think in America, we have the same sentiments of money gets you a good defense, but in Korea, it's even worse because connections are even more important in Korea. So if there is a really good defense attorney who to work at the prosecutor's office, they will charge a premium because it's not even about how good they are. It's about the connections they have with the system.
Co-host
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Stephanie Su
He says, while I did my best to present the facts, not everything was accepted. Basically, you were found guilty and I received a suspended sentence for a part of the charges. He says a part of the charges. As if the charges that he was found guilty of was not the most important charge. He says, I was also able to communicate with the other part party. He doesn't say victim. And bring the matter to a respectful close. So again, in Korea, another thing is it's so hard to get essay charges concluded that victims will settle to get any sort of financial compensation. Because at that point, it's like, what else am I getting out of this? It's not like you're going to go to prison for a very long time because the justice system is the way that it works. So you might as well get something to help with your trauma and healing. Maybe for therapy, maybe for health checkups, like whatever it is. Right. So this is a very normal thing. But he acts like I was able to bring it to a respectful close like we both agreed upon something. During the fall you may be starting school again, or maybe you're going on like those seasonal dates and you just want to hear the leaves crunching underneath you. Or if you're like me, you just want to hide your sandal tan lines in a new pair of fuzzy socks and boots. I think fall is the best season to take that fashion leap of faith and try something new as the weather gets colder. Step into fall with Sam Edelman where timeless American elegance meets modern trend on design. Their deep, luxurious neutrals are such great transition pieces that can work for almost every occasion. Or if you're looking for something a little bit more statement worthy, they have these rich Merlot tones that are perfect for the holiday season and their western inspired prints make a fantastic entrance with wide and extra wide calf fits available. Finding that perfect pair isn't about compromise, it's about celebrating exactly who you are in Sam Edelman shoes. Every sidewalk is your Runway. Explore the full fall collection now@Samedelman.com and get 15% off with code MANGO15. The colder the weather gets, the more I love to accessorize. Quince's MVP accessory has been this oversized wool scarf that works with literally everything in my closet. I throw it on, I instantly look like I have my life together. Even though I definitely don't. There is something about it that just gives quiet luxury. Quint is your go to for quality essentials that feel cozy, look refined, and they don't blow your budget. Here's the thing about Quince. They have figured out how to make luxury pieces actually affordable by working directly with the same factories that make stuff for high end brands. No middleman markup, no inflated prices. You get the same quality materials and craftsmanship, but for literally half what you'd pay elsewhere. Everything feels intentional and well made. These aren't pieces I'm going to get tired of next season. They're the kind of quality basics that just make getting dressed easy easier. Find your fall staples at quince go to quince.com rotten for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. Now available in Canada too. That's Q U I-N-C-E.com rotten to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com rotten mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch.
Co-host
Yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. 1.
Stephanie Su
It's $15 a month. 2.
Co-host
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Stephanie Su
Payment of $45 for three month plan $15 per month equivalent required New customer offer first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com Once again, I want to express my sincere apology to everyone who is affected by this situation. At first I was overwhelmed by fear. Some people advised me to admit to the charges, saying it might result in a lighter sentence even if they were true. But after long and difficult contemplation, I realized that what I feared most was not being able to tell the truth. But I did everything to clarify the truth, including voluntarily requesting a polygraph test and even preparing a reenactment video. Side note, polygraphs are notoriously inaccurate and that's why they're not used in the court of law in the states. But, he continues, during the appeal trial, a cross examination was scheduled but couldn't proceed due to the other party's absence because the victim of SA did not want to show up to be cross examined. Still, I did my best to prove my innocence. It was a long and disorienting time, so much so that I even began to question my own memory. Throughout it all, I had the chance to reflect. I was careless and my actions led to all of this. I failed to live up to my own standards and hurt many people along the way. I take full responsibility for the consequences of my poor judgment and thoughtless behavior and I deeply regret them.
Co-host
This is so crazy.
Stephanie Su
Poor judgment is a very low level word to place on something as devastating as essay. He continues, I take all your criticism and disappointment to heart, which again makes it sound like he's being canceled online for a social issue rather than a literal crime against women. He continues, When I first started creating content, my only wish was to bring comfort or strength to even just one person. I once met a student who told me that at a moment when they were considering self exiting, they happened to watch one of my videos and laughed. And that laugh gave them the will to keep going. They told me that I had saved their life. I now understand more than ever the weight of the responsibility I should have carried from the beginning. This experience has truly helped me rediscover what truly matters. From now on, I will live with greater responsibility and do everything I can to ensure something like this never happens again to everyone I've hurt or disappointed. I Offer my sincerest heartfelt apology. I am truly sorry. And I respectfully tell you that I'm not the man who kicked a woman in the video. He is a different person. Person. What's crazy is this part where he says that he's not the man in the video that kicked the woman. The Busan roundhouse kick. He doesn't say that in the Korean version of his statement. It's only in the English version.
Co-host
So everything else is exactly identical except that final statement.
Stephanie Su
Because if he put that in the Korean one, every single Korean would go, what the fuck are you talking about? Shut up. Like, no one was thinking that they would be genuinely upset. And that's what a lot of Koreans who also understand English are writing in the comments. Like, shut up. What are you talking about?
Co-host
Wow, he is really good at this.
Stephanie Su
He's throwing in the CCTV video of the Busan roundhouse kid.
Co-host
No way.
Stephanie Su
Yeah, well, he didn't link it, but he's throwing that in, saying, that's not me to make that the red herring of the conversation. This video was never even tied to this case. We did an episode on that video long time ago. At no point ever did anyone say, wait, is that that influencer with 55 million followers on TikTok that screams mama? Yeah, even when Mama Guy's sexual assault case came to light, nobody thought it was him in that video. Maybe like one or two people that were making, like, AI generated slop content on TikTok that just wanted to get random. Like, you know how those weird videos have been going viral recently? I didn't even see one that went viral. I couldn't even find many of them or any of them. All I see are people saying, hey, guys, he clarified it's not him.
Co-host
And I'm like, why would. Why would anybody even think it's him? This is so random.
Stephanie Su
It's basically.
Co-host
And it's such an. Roundhouse kick was such a big case too, by itself. People already knew all about it if you do one Google search. So how could anybody connect that to him? I will assume he probably did it himself because nobody would think that they're related.
Stephanie Su
In fact, the roundhouse kick situation, that case itself, it went viral for the reason that There was another YouTuber involved who released his identity without the clone court's permission because his identity was protected information. So everyone was like, oh, we know his information because it got leaked. And so his identity is even more talked about. So no one would ever equate that to being him. It doesn't even look like him in the CCTV camera. Like, nothing about. It's just two Korean guys.
Co-host
Yeah.
Stephanie Su
Like, for someone to genuinely believe that even before he made this statement, you'd have to be not. Not a great fact checker or a Googler. And you may be racist a little. Okay. Like that. There's just no way. It's very much, hey, this random thing that nobody thought was me, let me tell you, it wasn't me. So that. That's all you talk about. And it's working. When people. People are fighting in the comments, people are telling, okay, there's lots of people in the comments saying he's innocent. And when people say, no, he's not, he's literally not, people will fight back and say, the guy in the video has a tattoo on his arm and mama guy doesn't. Wow. Then you have the weak man fallacy. He's boiling down his entire essay charge just to the fact that he didn't film the assault. And he's acting like that's the main point. He's choosing the weakest charge that he was not convicted of and disproving it. It does not mean that he wasn't charged and convicted with a search. Just the wording itself, I think, are terrifying. Like these phrases. I was found not guilty of the major charges that were widely reported. I never filmed the other party. I take full responsibility for my poor judgment. I received a suspended sentence for a part of the charges. I did everything I could to prove my innocence.
Co-host
So if he was found guilty, did he serve time? What was that?
Stephanie Su
Okay, that's another reason why I think that a lot of people are genuinely believing that he's innocent. Innocent. And okay, my thing is, if you read his statement and you believe he's innocent, I think that's a reflection of his shameless morality. I think that's on him and everyone should hate him for it, is my opinion. However, I think if you are going there and you keep defending him in every comment section and when people are informing you, you need to look into it. And then I see some of his fans, I guess, that are like, no, but he's innocent. He said so. And it's like, okay, well, that doesn't mean anything. You got to look into it. Right. But they're like, no, he said so and he doesn't have a tattoo. Those people, I don't understand. The reason that I think from the surface level he appears to be innocent is because in America, you typically don't get a suspended sentence for essay charges, whereas in Korea, you do. A suspended sentence means, hey, I'm going to give you a year and six months. However, it's going to be suspended, meaning in the next two years you're going to be free. But if you commit any other crime, straight to jail for a year and six months.
Co-host
That's crazy too.
Stephanie Su
So because he's free, people think that he is innocent. It worked so well that the top comments on that post are, this has to be the most incredible apology someone could ever make. Another one reads, bro crazy. We were all hating him for the thing he didn't do. After reading this, I don't know why I'm crying though. Don't know how much, like how bad he felt by everything. Another one reads, for two years you fought to claim yourself not guilty. Wow. And this apology post is way more better and personal than other apologies. You wrote it in two languages. Two. And I also couldn't believe that you were not guilty. I think this is the most honest and respectful and responsible apology ever. Another one says, the guy who kicked the girl in the video has a tattoo while you don't. He's not guilty. Guys, I missed you. I'm glad you're back. Out of every YouTube apology I've ever seen, this is the most honest and most sincere. Good job, man. Apology accepted. No, you don't have to be sorry. Social media does. You know, we all owe you a big apology and you shouldn't have been treated this way. There's very few Korean comments, but the top ones in Korean read, let's crack open the indictment, shall we? We.
Co-host
Oh, so Koreans do know what he was charged for?
Stephanie Su
Yeah, they know he's guilty. Guilty.
Co-host
So the international viewers have no idea. They just took his statement and nobody knows what's going on.
Stephanie Su
Yeah. And that's why I'm saying I don't blame a lot of the people that read his statement, take it at face value and they accept his apology or they think he's innocent. I do, however, take problem with people that are getting responses of like, hey, let me link you a few, very few articles because there's not a lot of articles out there, but like the very few I could find in English. And they still keep posting like, no, he's not. He's not. And I'm like, are you not reading what's going on?
Co-host
Yeah, yeah.
Stephanie Su
But another comment in Korean just reads, all the comments are fucking foreigners. Haha. Because they're like, how are people falling for this? And again, it's just the lack of information in English that's available. But some people just don't care about the truth. I see some people. They keep commenting on every post. It doesn't matter how many people respond to him telling them the truth. There's someone who goes around commenting on like every video. Why do people not forgive him? He was found innocent. He is not guilty. The man who kicked the girl had a tattoo on his arm. But Wonjung does not have a tattoo on his arm. Plus, he is sorry for scaring people even if he didn't do anything wrong. I hope you guys can all understand. And I'm like, okay, Won Jung, is this you? Another comment is. And they're passionate. They write dang. If you look at the comments from back then, people really thought he did it. They act like he was not a human being. People took this way too far. People said lol about him going to jail. Some people probably even sent him death threats. We should all apologize to him for what we put him through.
Co-host
Wow.
Stephanie Su
Other people are commenting. Wonjang, you look so sad. You were so happy in your older videos. What happened to that happy smile? Please stay happy. Do whatever you want. Fly around the world. Eat your favorite foods. Eat the famous food you missed out on. But just do something. Please don't be sad. You can be sad, but not all the time. He goes on to like that comment. Wow. I will say, I think again, for the people, the mass population who didn't really dig into it more, and they trusted him to tell the truth, I don't think it's their fault. It is very confusing and I think there's a few elements to it. So during the first trial, there were two trials. During the first trial, both defendants, Mama Guy and his friend, they tried to argue that this was all consensual, that they never wanted to commit a crime. So there were two things they were charged with with special quasi essay. Now, this is very important. Okay, so there's also a translation error that makes a lot of English speakers feel like it's not essay. And this is true. Okay, we're going to get into that in a second. But they had to prove that this was essay. The prosecutors and they had to prove that there was a conspiracy to commit a crime. Which would be like aggravated essay. It would be like gang essay, if you will. That gets dropped. The aggravated part gets dropped. But other than that, I mean, it's pretty much everything about it is just asinine. They argued to the judge that the victim definitely consented and was conscious because she made noises and opened her eyes. At one point, she made eye contact with them. She also did not actively resist or fight them off. That's what they argue. They also argue that this is not gang essay because while the friend, the owner of the apartment, was essaying the victim, they argue Mama Guy was asleep. So they were not gang essaying her. They're both individually rapists. You know, they didn't plan to be raped. Rapists together. That's pretty much what they're arguing. I mean, the court clearly thinks all of this is about as sensical as a squirrel operating heavy machinery. They procured protection together. Also, moving her eyelids doesn't mean consent. We don't even have to, like, go down the path of pointing out how ridiculous their whole defense is. During the first trial, Mama Guy was found guilty and sentenced to three years and six months in prison. He appeals it, then he goes to a second trial, and then he's sentenced to one year and six months and a two year suspended sentence. Sentence meaning he doesn't have to go to jail anymore.
Co-host
That's crazy.
Stephanie Su
But there's really barely any international updates on this case. And if there is, there is a huge translation discrepancy.
Co-host
And you say also, you say like, he was a close court or something. He requested.
Stephanie Su
He requested it.
Co-host
Like, everything's private or something like that.
Stephanie Su
Yeah.
Co-host
That's why even more limited information out.
Stephanie Su
There, even in Korea. Yeah, yeah. Most articles state that he is convicted of quasi rape. In English, the word quasi means seemingly, apparently, but not really being partly or almost so in some sense or degree. Like, that's the. That's the meaning of it. So people are taking that as, oh, it wasn't fully essay. Like, maybe it was harassment, like maybe it was something else. But, like, it can't be fully essay because the definition of quasi in English, but means not completely or just seems like it, but is not really it. It's just miscommunication. Like, that's not at all what happened. So in Korea, what it means is technically the term quasi essay when you translate it in Korean. And the way that it's used in his court case is that it just means there was an essay that takes place. But essay, that charge in Korea typically is intertwined with force, physical or threats. So the word quasi in front of it means the victim did not resist because they were incapable of resisting. So if you just charge them with, in Korea, the legal definition of regular essay, then they would have to prove that the victim resisted. So this is just their saying of, hey, it's a different charge. Where we don't have to prove that the victim resisted because we can prove to you that they were not in a state of resisting. So whether that means that they were too intoxicated, whether they were blacked out, unconscious, whether that means they were mentally incapable of resisting at that time, whether they were in a coma, whether they were not at the developmental stage of being the age that they are on their driver's license, like there's all these different factors, or they could have been on drugs, like prescription medications. So they're saying it's just essay, where someone is incapable of resisting. But because it gets translated into the word quasi, which means not really in English, people thought that he was not really charged with sa.
Co-host
Yeah, that's what I read back in the days.
Stephanie Su
Yeah, but that's not at all true. And then he goes on to argue that the major charges that were widely reported were dropped. Those are the filming charges. Because, remember, she had originally stated to the police that she heard some sort of recording noise. They took their phones, but they couldn't find a recording. But even the defendants admit, Mama guy tells the judge that he thought that when his friend was essaying the victim, he. He says he thought it was consensual and he wanted to film it as a prank. I don't know how that's a prank.
Co-host
That's crazy.
Stephanie Su
Yeah, but he himself stated that in the court. Then there's an argument that his charges were lowered, which they kind of were, because initially he was convicted of, I guess the aggravated version of conspiracy to commit. But that gets very complicated in the court of law. And they were already going to get him for the SA charges. So they do end up dropping the that. But still, it's full on essay charges, like full essay charge. Making this entire situation even more unfortunate is that there is a lack of media coverage on the case, even in South Korea. Nobody really knows him in South Korea, and if they do, they don't really care about him, which seems to have always been a sore spot for him. He writes in his book, I'd established myself as a TikToker with the third largest following in Korea after BTS and Blackpink with the title Korea's representative Tiktoker feels somewhat burdensome to me. I clearly feel pride and responsibility as a short form creator in Korea. And then he gets kind of uncomfortable when he goes on these reality shows and nobody knows who he is. So because of that, the lack of coverage and the mistranslation of the words and the fact that South Korea does offer suspended sentences to convicted essayers. He uses all of this to trick his audience into thinking that he's a good guy. Something to note is that he is restricted from working in facilities that deal with children, youth and people with disabilities. But I would say that a lot of his tiktoks are targeted towards younger kids, which is terrifying considering how hard that is to regulate. And just generally speaking, this is not particularly a defensible person. He's just not that special. And again, I mean that with so much disrespect and rudeness. I disliked him even more after reading a book that he had written to showcase how good he was and I end up disliking him more so much of this book was just a back patting session and it's subtle. I mean one or two you won't notice it, but it's practically on every page. And maybe it's a cultural thing. I think if you're familiar with East Asian culture, you can see the annoyance perhaps seeping through the pages a little bit better. But it is the worst annoying way of bragging. I would just rather someone come to my face and say haha, I'm better than you and spit in my face. That would be more refreshing than whatever this dumpster fire of a book is. He writes According to my mother mother, I walked and talked unusually early, but in my memory I was just an ordinary kid who listened well to my parents. I received quite a few awards in elementary school. My grades were always good and I had a talent in arts and physical education. So I remember receiving many awards each year that made my parents happy. From excellence awards to writing competition awards. But while doing TikTok, my luck with awards exploded. TikTok Korea gives awards every season based on domestic and international views combined with their accounts and video upload frequency. They announce top rankings by category monthly and select first place every three months. In these TikTok Korea Creator awards, I have constantly been selected as first place. Nobody knows you in South Korea but go off I was a boy with many dreams. From boxer to singer, I never easily gave up on my dreams. Good for you. You are neither a boxer nor a singer, so I guess you did give up. In middle school I ranked third out of 230 students and in high school I I ranked seventh out of 550. So I wasn't someone who couldn't study or did poorly. But my dreams were always a little bit different.
Co-host
Let me guess. To help people?
Stephanie Su
Yeah, many people praise me as someone who's achieved their dream as a tiktoker, but I'm still dreaming. In my freshman year of college I hung out and drank with classmates just like everyone else, but they were surprised when I achieved a 4.5 GPA calling it a plot twist twist. I was the type to play hard when playing but concentrate intensely when studying, even staying up late. He also goes on a multi page tangent, seemingly taking shots at students who take part time jobs working at cafes and tutoring because that's easy money. He says he wanted to experience hard work, which is why he wanted to build thick skin and take jobs working at construction sites or popping rice crackers on the street. He then goes on to rant about his time during the military inscription that every guy in Korea has to enlist for a mandatory two years minus a few exceptions. He says that he wanted to quote I felt that I should take away something more from military service. I headed to the fitness room. I picked up dumbbells with the mindset of just trying something. I exercise consistently and really hard. And he says the month that he was discharged from the military, he does one of those bodybuilder profile photo shoots showcasing his physique. Even that he is a very holier than thou explanation. He says rather than taking photos for the purpose of keeping them, I wanted to remember the thrilling experience of overcoming my own limits. People might just glance at the photo on page 148 of this book thinking won Jung man, nice body. But to me it is an intense record of overcoming my personal limits through pure effort.
Co-host
Bro, what is he saying?
Stephanie Su
I don't know but even my dad was jacked after the military service. Like I don't know what he's talking about. Everyone gets gets jacked after the enlistment. Yeah, and it's also like mandatory. It's not really something to write home about or dedicate a whole page for the picture in your book for. It's I don't know how I know it sounds like I'm nitpicking and maybe I am.
Co-host
Sounds like a pick me like so annoying.
Stephanie Su
It's I feel like it's especially what.
Co-host
Kind of person he is.
Stephanie Su
Like you just know that's what I'm saying. Full of himself, he continues to complain. It's always half woe is me me to don't worry guys, I'm saving the world with my tiktoks. I do think that his crime is definitely tainting my perception because had I not known what kind of person he was, maybe none of this would strike me as annoying. Or maybe I would Just say, oh, it's maybe not my personality type to be friends with him. I just imagine this kind of condescending attitude seeping into the trial. The way he even settles with the victim or was talking about the victim, talking to the victim, his arrogance and not, not opening the door for the police when they get there. All of these traits, I think in hindsight make him entirely metaphorically punchable. He says. While my friends say it's unbelievable that I've become a world class tiktoker, they really support me and say it's cool. They say, I knew you would do well at whatever you tried. When I'm with my friends, though, I'm just 27 year old SEO Won Jung who wants to live an enjoyable life. He says after he won the TikTok Gold Award from the TikTok headquarters, which is like, I guess like a gold play button from YouTube which like, it's exciting, it's fun, it's great. But he said, I really felt the weight on my shoulders. It was an unavoidable weight of having to continue to living up to Wonjong and that name going forward. Nobody knows you dude.
Co-host
Like, yeah, he is so annoying.
Stephanie Su
Very applicable, I guess. But like maybe understanding train of thought. Everyone has pressure at whatever they do. However, no one, no one, including myself that makes videos for the Internet should ever in any situation take themselves this seriously. Like the weight of the world on his shoulders after getting a gold award from TikTok is another one reads. If there's a friend who doesn't know what to do right now, I'd like to tell them to do what they love most. My case isn't a case of success without effort. There were many lonely times. Sometimes it was a solitary work, you know, pioneering a path no one else had walked. But because I loved what I was doing what I loved, you know, even that loneliness was bearable and that hardship was enjoyable. I didn't really have role models. It's impossible to find role models around me in the process of expanding activities. As a tiktoker, while I often felt like I was walking a long path alone, it was something I liked it. I developed a desire to pioneer ahead of everyone. It's hard to walk a path that no one else has walked, which is actually not true. It's not really an uncommon path to have content creators commit sexual crimes against women. So I don't know why he's patting himself on the back. That is a long, frequently journeyed path that a lot of content creators take. Take, he writes in his book under the chapter the Hardship beyond being a Global Influencer, that's the title he writes, I recently lost weight and people around me were very worried when I suddenly lost nine pounds compared to last year. Even I was surprised. I just had become so busy that I didn't even have time to exercise. But you had time to essay someone, so I'm pretty sure that you could make time if you wanted. I think that's the most dangerous thing about him, is that, well, he's free, but also he has no shame, he has no remorse. The way that he talks about himself in the book, the way that he talks about himself in that statement, he clearly thinks that he is a great person gracing everyone with his presence. And that's terrifying. Obviously, if you are someone who gets convicted of sa, you cannot be a good person. But even that statement alone is shocking. There's just no backbone. Like, just get off the Internet. What are you doing? This manipulation of his word usage, all of these different fallacies that he's employing in his statement is so terrifying that there are people out there like that. In 2023, before all of this news became public, before the conviction and his morally corrupt wordplay apology, he wrote in his book that he was in the process of launching a video game and a full clothing line because he wants a brand to exist outside of him. And I just want to say if that does happen, I will be there every step of the way. I don't care if this is 20 years later. I'm going to be there, there and I'm going to be reminding him of this case because I also like being a nuisance.
Co-host
He's just back on tick tock and everything.
Stephanie Su
So his YouTube has never been suspended. He's still actively posting on YouTube. He does not get the views that he used to, but he's still posting on YouTube. And he made a new second TikTok account because his first TikTok account was suspended. So if you ever come across his videos, block it, record it.
Co-host
Is he like, many, like, followers and stuff? He has now he only has like.
Stephanie Su
50,000, which is not only, but that's a lot.
Co-host
So he lost his, like, main account. Yeah, he lost all the followers and he hasn't gotten any of them back.
Stephanie Su
No.
Co-host
Okay, that's good.
Stephanie Su
Yeah, but I'm so annoying. Yeah, but that.
Co-host
Yeah.
Stephanie Su
I don't know why he's even allowed to be talking.
Co-host
And I think it's most frustrating when, like literally you watching him and you see that he fooled every single person.
Stephanie Su
You know what's crazy? He fooled everyone to the point of. When his initial charges were brought to the surface in 2023, there were a lot of tiktokers that were saying, hey, guys, this is what's going on with this mama guy. And now if you look at their recent comments, people are saying, oops, this video aged badly because they think he's innocent. And I'm like, it's actually worse.
Co-host
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wow.
Stephanie Su
I don't know why I'm so emotional right now, but I. I'm so annoyed.
Co-host
It's like that unjust feeling that's.
Stephanie Su
Yeah. So he's trying to get away with it. And that is where I leave you with today's episode. Be safe and I will see you guys in the next one.
Co-host
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Stephanie Su
Programs to run your business, none of which are connected, and each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful.
Co-host
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Stephanie Su
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Co-host
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Stephanie Su
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Co-host
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Stephanie Su
Hi, it's Stephanie Su. Wanna listen to new episodes of Rotten Mango? Ad free? Rotten Mango is now part of Sirius XM's Podcast Plus. With SiriusXM's Podcast plus subscription, you'll get this plus benefits on dozens of select podcasts within the SiriusXM network. What are you waiting for? Subscribe to Sirius XM podcast plus on Apple Podcasts or visit siriusxm.com podcastplus to start your free trial today.
Host: Stephanie Soo
Release Date: October 30, 2025
This episode takes a deep dive into the case of South Korean TikTok influencer Seo Won Jung, known online as "Mama Guy" or "Mama Boy." With over 55 million followers, he suddenly disappeared from all social media in July 2023. In 2025, he reemerged with a statement attempting to frame himself as innocent of sexual assault charges—which, as host Stephanie Soo reveals, is a manipulation of facts. The episode exposes how Mama Guy’s apology uses logical fallacies to mislead a largely international, non-Korean-speaking fanbase, effectively convincing many that he is not guilty despite his conviction.
The episode also explores:
| Timestamp | Section / Topic | |------------|------------------| | 01:02–03:30 | Discussion of creators disappearing from internet (Mac Adventures/Mama Guy introduction) | | 04:50–08:38 | Mama Guy's persona and audience; explanation of "Mama!" reaction and TikTok style | | 12:00–13:00 | “It worked”—manipulation, the impact on audiences | | 19:12–26:00 | Explanation of logical fallacies used in manipulation/apologies | | 36:39–39:27 | The night of the crime, events from court documents | | 47:02–50:30 | Media coverage, how identity shielding led to confusion | | 52:56–54:17 | Dissection of apology statement | | 65:50–67:47 | Terminology/translation errors (“quasi rape”) and their impact | | 78:12–79:27 | Where is Mama Guy now, and hosts' frustrated emotional wrap-up |
To conclude:
Stephanie Soo and the Rotten Mango team urge listeners to reject surface-level narratives and demand accountability from influencers, especially those who manipulate the truth and weaponize their platforms following criminal convictions.