South Korean YouTuber Ka Gwang’s YouTube channel has been deleted amid abuse and exploitation allegations involving a female guest, and the creator has said he may retire from internet broadcasting if the channel is not restored.
Ka Gwang, 31, whose real name is Lee Sang-il, announced the deletion in a post on his community page, Kagwang Playground, on October 29. According to his post, the channel was removed at 4:31 p.m. that day, with YouTube citing a policy violation involving sexual acts and excessive exposure. His existing videos became inaccessible.
Ka Gwang suggested the deletion may have followed monitoring by the government and strong public opinion around the allegations and a recent National Assembly audit, adding that the stated reason could be nominal. He called that his own speculation. He firmly denied the exploitation and grooming allegations, saying they are not true, and said he will cooperate faithfully with any investigation.
He said he plans to submit payment records and chat messages supporting his account, through a lawyer, to investigative authorities. He also apologized for provocative broadcasts that went beyond what ordinary viewers would find unpleasant.
On his future, he was blunt. “If the channel is not restored on YouTube, I intend to wrap up internet broadcasting here,” he wrote, a signal his streaming career could end.
The allegations remain unproven claims. They were raised in an online post by a person identifying as a lawyer for the alleged victim, accusing Ka Gwang and his associates of abusing and exploiting a vulnerable woman recovering from artificial hip joint surgery. The post claimed that during a Thailand broadcast, the woman had her crutch broken, faced meal and sleep restrictions, was made to drink alcohol, and was prevented from leaving after saying she wanted to go home, with more than 10 million won taken under the pretext of appearances and donations. None of this has been established as fact.
The controversy was raised at a National Assembly audit on October 26, where lawmaker Kim Ye-ji brought up the allegations and acting National Police Agency Commissioner Kim Jong-cheol said the facts would be verified. Three days later the channel was deleted, and Ka Gwang issued his statement the same day. Notably, YouTube cited a content policy violation, not the abuse allegations, and no investigation outcome has been reported. Whether he returns depends on the restoration process and the investigation.
