Date Approved

12-19-2025

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Criminal Justice (M.S.)

Degree Program

School of Criminology, Criminal Justice, & Legal Studies

First Advisor

Jina Lee

Second Advisor

Carrie Buist

Third Advisor

Tonisha Jones

Academic Year

2025/2026

Abstract

This thesis examines the persistence of high-profile sexual violence in the global music industry through a comparative analysis of Seung-hyun “Seungri” Lee’s Burning Sun scandal in South Korea and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal proceedings in the United States. Guided by Power and Control Theory (PCT) and Routine Activity Theory (RAT), the study explores three central questions: (1) what motivates powerful men to commit acts of sexual violence, (2) how institutions and structures enable such abuse, and (3) how cultural contexts shape accountability. Data were collected from legal filings, media reports, audio-visual material, and scholarly literature, then thematically coded to identify recurring patterns of motivation, institutional complicity, and cultural framing. The findings revealed three central themes: (1) sexual violence was utilized systematically, reinforcing control and influence; (2) institutional actors, ranging from police collusion and corporate denial in South Korea to legal shielding through nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in the United States, either failed to intervene or actively protected perpetrators; and (3) cultural contexts, from Confucian hierarchy and parasocial fandom in South Korea to celebrity individualism and racialized narratives in the United States, influenced disclosure and accountability. Together, these patterns expose how celebrity capital, institutional failures, and cultural values converge to protect perpetrators and silence victims. Policy recommendations emphasize the need for stricter limits on NDAs, stronger oversight mechanisms, survivor-centered protections, and cultural interventions challenging hegemonic masculinity and celebrity worship. By revealing how privilege and impunity sustain exploitation across contexts, this research contributes to the growing call for accountability and structural reform within the global music industry.

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