Now, it can be argued, from a teleological framework of thinking by way of egoism (which involves thinking of self-interest as ethical if it has benefits to other), that this does not have to be the end of the club. The management of the club and all those involved in the upper management could take this as an opportunity to rebrand their establishment. They can rebrand, and change up the overall feeling of their new club to better reflect the reflection they’ve taken upon themselves to do and become a club known for its strict policies in regards to the treatment of others within their establishment. The self-interest in not seeing their club die out from the face of the earth could be regarded as ethical if they help set new standards for the nightclubs of Gangnam in terms of safety and decency.
But I honestly don’t see it happening. The only reason why this was such a big deal in the first place was because they had such lax regulations in place. And if they were to add any new “implementations” of similar policies, it will be seen as nothing more than a way to try and save face.
A virtue ethics way of thinking would bring about similar issues, with the phrase of “too little too late” being a highlight of what I think would be the general reaction. There is simply no way for Club Burning Sun to bounce back from this.
However, I see little reason to argue against the choice of action already taken with the club’s management, which I believe also brings us to the third possible action and way of thinking, the Deontological framework. I say this because, on February 17, 2019, Club Burning Sun closed its doors pending further investigation, and with how things have spiralled out of control with more and more insidious dealings coming to light, it may very well stay that way permanently.
I am in complete agreement with this decision. The club was going to go no matter what. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about this decision. With such hot media coverage over the shady dealings happening in the club, it would have seen, at the very least, a complete death in terms of profits and revenue as no one would be willing to go to the club in fear of the stigma now surrounding it. And with Deontological thinking focused on duty and obligations, this seems to be the only course of action Burning Sun could take. After all, they failed to fulfill their duty to their women customers in the first place by ensuring that the actions taken within the club didn’t happen in the first place. They failed the public by making this club a den of disgraceful action. So, it was the only thing left to do to get rid of this blight at the source, and that is Club Burning Sun.
But just because Burning Sun has closed down does not mean that this is the end of this case’s ethical reach. This situation and ethical issue has long since outgrown the boundaries of just a single nightclub and company.
Now, it has expanded into far reaching territories such as an entire industry, with implications of a deeper societal problem. With such involvement being implicated by the sheer number of celebrities involved, and the fact that this controversy has sparked a rising movement of feminism in South Korea, this may very well be an issue for the nation to deal with as a whole. There is no easy way to comment on this, because we are talking about an entire industry, an entire nation, that has to change how it behaves in regards to the ethical issues present in this case.
However, in my opinion, the best way to start dealing with the undercurrent issues is also through the Deontological framework of thinking by way of contractarianism. In terms of contractarianism, the way of thinking is one that is simple in theory: we agree to a social contract that entails equality of treatment and equality of opportunity. This way of thinking would help cut the underlying issues involved in this case, which when broken down can lead to two issues: celebrities thinking they are above common decency, and men treating women as mere…I can’t finish the thought.
It can be argued that the Virtue Ethics framework could help get the same result, by emulating a set of virtues, character gets built. However, I argue that with Korea having long since been a nation of scandals of such degree popping up every few years (whether it be gambling, drunk driving, or other acts contrary to common decency) there are no true ethics and values to follow. Or at the very least, not enough people in high visibility positions (such as politicians and celebrities) are making an effort to emulate the ethics and morals that are sorely needed at this time and age.
And as for the Teleological framework…just no. In this instance, the end results will not justify the means if the means involve processes and actions that can lead to even more ethical issues.
That is why I argue that to truly fix the problem that is emerging in South Korea as a whole, the Deontological way of thinking should be implemented. By adopting this way of thinking in terms of moral values and ethics, there is a real chance for change in both the Korean entertainment industry (with how idols and celebrities are treated and regarded) and the way society objectifies women.
Sources:
The Burning Sun Scandal 
I do agree what you said that “to start dealing with the undercurrent issues is also through the Deontological framework of thinking by way of contractarianism.” I also shocked that those influential men abusing their rights to harm women. I think this is an issue related to those men’s attitudes towards women’s rights. I also think it’s not easy to change their distorted attitude.
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It really isn’t. As this scandal has shown, it is not just the fact that celebrities have been involved and desecrated the rights of women in this context. But it is also the general attitude towards women in general in Korea. The Gender War has been going on in the nation for a long time now and while there have been phases where it seemed a more feminist movement was going to take place, the idea fizzles out. I have hopes that this scandal, while as horrible as it is, at least allows for serious discussion about the treatment of women in Korea and incites real change.
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This issue is bigger than the company I feel and labels even the people involved. The deontological approach is the best but now those involved have reputations they also need to worry about. This is a situation that is in need of a virtuous approach from those involved to repair their own reputations and clear them from any assumptions.
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I completely agree. Ever since the first developments from when Kim Sang-Kyo was assaulted and beaten, this situation has spiraled out of control. It soon became an issue on a much larger scale than simply a dispute between a company’s staff and a customer. And of course, a virtuous approach is needed due to the fact that there seems to have been none in the first place. However, this is dependant on the fact that reputations can be repaired and the people involved can learn from their mistakes to become better people. However, with how things are going, I am not holding out hope. And while it is a comforting development to see the people involved come forward to admit their guilt in these crimes, it is also disheartening since it appears to me that they only did so because they were caught.
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I completely agree with what your saying. Deontological framework is a way to go. This reminds me of the #MeToo movement, what I wrote about. I think that this scandal caused a shift in the feminist approach. I wonder if there is a party vs. gender way of thinking in this issue.
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It’s funny that you should mention the #MeToo movement. The movement was actually picked up by Koreans in the early 2018s. While it had been waning due to the lack of support and just how serious the gender war is in South Korea, this scandal has opened up the floodgates for the movement so feminism is seeing a rise in South Korea. I have hope that it stays that way so that something good can come out of this horrible situation.
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I absolutely believe that what should have been done from the very start of this club was the idea of using contractarianism as an ethical framework. In a place where equality of treatment and opportunity are present, such dealings are discouraged through thinking with empathy about all situations from minor disturbances to anything nearly on the scale or consequence of what happened in the Burning Sun.
As for the club now, it has turned into tainted soil and I’m not really sure if anything can be done with the space even after scrubbing the influence and presence of the club from it. It’s now haunted by its past and needs to be laid to rest, but hopefully the ghost is a reminder of the fact that the dealings that occurred there are never acceptable and always intolerable.
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I completely agree. If they had only done this from the start. However, I am very hesitant to say this, but I am also of the opinion that even if Burning Sun had not been the one to be revealed of this incident, another club with shady practices and operations would have been brought to light. As I have said many times, I think that the only good thing to have come out of this is the fact that this case has now gotten such a wide range of exposure. Because of the fact that big-name celebrities are attached to this case, the issues at the forefront are being discussed in all seriousness. And if this had simply been another nightclub, I feel as though this case would have trickled out a long time ago.
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