Intrigue

Someone is holding popstar Jung’s phone in their hands. And what they see on it is shocking. Another journalist Kang Kyung-Yoon gets a tip-off and starts investigating the chat-rooms, and is overwhelmed by the crimes she sees. Sex videos being shared by well-known celebrities, and in some the women are unconscious and being sexually assaulted. She tracks down some of the victims, and the more she digs, the more she uncovers.

For the first time, we give the definitive account of the sex scandals that brought down some of Korea’s biggest K-pop stars. It’s a tale of depravity, power and excess - hidden behind a facade of wholesome pop music.

Co-creator, presenter and writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou

“I had no idea how big it was going to be….”

Journalist Park Hyo-sil gets a tip off that music and TV star, Jung Joon-young, is being investigated by police for secretly filming a woman during sex. We find out about Jung, his wholesome, attractive personality and wide popularity. And we meet one of his superfans whose whole life revolves around him. She, like many others, don’t want to believe the accusations against Jung.

For the first time, we give the definitive account of the sex scandals that brought down some of Korea’s biggest K-pop stars. It’s a tale of depravity, power and excess - hidden behind a facade of wholesome pop music.

Co-creator, presenter and writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou

ACTORS

The sex scandals that brought down some of the world’s biggest K-pop Stars. A tale of depravity, power and excess - hidden behind a facade of wholesome pop music.

Co-creator, presenter and writer: Chloe Hadjimatheou

In a secret location in a European city is an archive that contains over a million documents. It’s run by a tough-talking Canadian, Bill Wiley, who set up an evidence-gathering organisation funded by Western governments.

Using undercover criminal investigators operating inside a war zone, the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA) has spent the last eight years extracting official documents from Syria. Wiley says that evidence will prove that the Assad regime has been responsible for a campaign of torture and murder against its own people.

CIJA's documents are being used right now in a criminal case in the West to prosecute members of the Syrian regime. But there are those who would discredit the evidence and the people who gather it. These include a group of respected academics here in the UK who are accused of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about the war, twisting the narrative so that the Syrian regime becomes the victim and the British government bears responsibility for war crimes.

It is a new kind of warfare being fought not on the ground but on the internet. Who will win?

Writer, producer and presenter Chloe Hadjimatheou

Correction: We stated that Feras Fayyad won an Oscar - instead his films were nominated on two occasions for an Oscar but did not win.

“The crime scene had been left unguarded for two weeks”. What really happened in the Douma massacre? This episode is a diversion from the story of the life and death of James Le Mesurier. It’s about one of the most contested events in the war - the chemical attack in the town of Douma in 2018. Unravelling what really happened there takes us to the heart of the global race to control the narrative of the Syrian war. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

This episode contains a description of the aftermath of a chemical attack.

This episode has been edited since original publication following a complaint.

Produced, written and presented by Chloe Hadjimatheou

“They will be targeted for the rest of their lives.” Where does that leave everyone else?

When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou

REFERENCES

“Statement by Amb.Nebenzia on addressing the issue of linkages between terrorism and organized crime” RussiaUN YouTube channel, 07 August 2020

“UK in Syria- Creating A Dystopian Shadow State Ft Vanessa Beeley on British Constitution Group” ICIT Digital Library, 02 May 2017

Vanessa Beeley Twitter posts @VanessaBeeley

“My love it’s 10 times worse than we thought.” Things start to unravel.

When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou

REFERENCES

Various Newspaper headlines

Express Tribune Pakistan: Founder of Syrian 'White Helmets' found dead in Istanbul 12/11/2019

The Scotsman British army officer and founder of Syria volunteers found dead by Margaret Neighbour 11/11/2019

Daily Sabah, Istanbul Officials reveal White Helmets founder's cause of death 20/11/2019

“Entrevista exclusiva com James Le Mesurier no CIBE BRAZIL 2017 – Bombeiros” (“Exclusive interview with James Le Mesurier at CIBE BRAZIL 2017 – Firefighters”) CBMGO YouTube channel, 26 September 2017

“Is Le Mesurier an Epstein?” - Fault Lines, Sputnik International, 12 November 2019

Brandpunt - Witte helmen” (Focal point - Season 1 - White helmets) - KRO-NCRV, 08 Nov 2016. Reporter Piet de Blaauw

“I had to do it because my colleagues faced death.” Now the rescuers need saving.

When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou

REFERENCES

* Abdulhadi video – Syria’s White Helmets: Mask of Terror report. Anna News Agency Documentary, January 5th, 2017 Uploaded to Daily Motion by Sayed Hasan

ARCHIVE TRUMP WITHDRAWAL: Press conference April 3rd 2018 – Source Reuters via The Washington Post website

“ I have these epiphanies all the time, especially if I had anchovies on my pizza..” Could the White Helmets be involved in staging chemical attacks?

When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou

REFERENCES

“Roger Waters - Reporting The Truth” Roger Waters YouTube channel, 6 December 2019

“Briefing by Chief of Main Operational Directorate of Russian General Staff Sergei Rudskoy” Минобороны России (Ministry of Defense of Russia) YouTube channel 17 March 2018

“Voices of people hiding in a basement in #EasternGhouta while #Assad regime & #Russia forces shell the area. Trying to destroy #Syria & kills its people or make them succumb to starvation & tyranny.” Dima Moussa @dimam78 Tweet 04 March 2018

Syria Gas Attack Victims Treated at Hospital, Syria Civil Defence video

“Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov - BBC HARDtalk rushes” - BBC HARDtalk exclusive, 17 April 2018

برومو رجل الثورة Revolution Man promotional video, 10 February 2018 - Movie Produced by the Syrian ministry of culture

“Gasping for life: Syria's merciless war on its own children” CNN

23 Panet46 (Contac Episode 23 Panet46) dailymotion - Shoof Drama شوف دراما

“Ethics Forum: Paul McKeigue (Edinburgh Usher Institute)” 25 January 2019 video from Jamie Smith on 12 February 2019, published on the University of Edinburgh website

“UN: Chlorine was placed in Douma by militants for provocative purposes –Russia's OPCW rep. Shulgin” 20 January 2020, Ruptly YouTube Channel (Ruptly is part of the same media family as RT) credit: UNIFEED-UNTV

“I went to meet with Assad to see what kind of access we might get.” James is accused of a horrific crime.

When James Le Mesurier fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 he left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

AMENDMENT: Sean Penn has confirmed that it was Eva Bartlett not Vanessa Beeley he met in Los Angeles. This does not change the story materially.

REFERENCES

“’The White Helmets” wins Best Documentary Short.” Oscars YouTube Channel, 03 April 2017

“President Bashar al-Assad's opinion on White Helmet's Oscar” from Egy Ember YouTube channel, 11 Mar 2017, source listed as Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)

“KEEP TALKING - Vanessa Beeley on The White Helmets & the billionaires funding Regime Change” Ian Fantom YouTube channel, 17 July 2019

“Vanessa Beeley -The tale of the White Helmets in the Western media, on the ground in Syria and beyond” Mot Dag TV, 13 February 2019

“Panel Discussion on White Helmets Organization in Syria” UN Audiovisual Library video, 20 December 2018

“UK Column News” Brian Gerrish, Mike Robinson are joined by Alex Thomson and Vanessa Beeley for today's UK Column News. 14th October 2020

“Interview with Vanessa Beeley” HPU Al-Hawash Private University, 21 November 2018