They rescue several Brazilians who wanted to be K-pop stars, but were forced to prostitute themselves, police say

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South Korean Police arrested five people on suspicion of leading a prostitution and women's trafficking network.

Seoul (CNN) - A group of Brazilian women who traveled to South Korea in hopes of joining their multi-million dollar K-pop industry were victims of human trafficking and forced into prostitution, according to the South Korean Police.

Seven Brazilian women between the ages of 20 and 30 were rescued from brothels after police raids last month, and five people were arrested on suspicion of prostitution and trafficking in women.

The victims were attracted to South Korea in early July, after connecting with a man on social networks who offered them a free round-trip plane ticket, a police spokesman said.

"(A) the women were told that they could be models, or that they would receive support to become K-pop singers," he added.

• 5 revealing facts about human trafficking in South America: sexual exploitation, illegal adoption and more

But once they arrived in South Korea, it was a different story. The women were allegedly taken away from their passports and they were locked in two houses in Ilsan and Paju, two cities north of Seoul. They were then allegedly sold to a massage room for 2 million won (about $ 1,650) each, police said.

Police were informed of their situation last month, after a Brazilian woman called her embassy in South Korea to ask to be rescued. The agents then raided a massage room in Ilsan, where they rescued three Brazilian women.

A few days later, the police rescued four more women from a house in Paju. The women were taken to a shelter and seemed "traumatized," police said.

Police are still investigating the extent of the scam.

"We believe there could be more people involved in the operation and possibly someone above who was organizing it," the official said, noting that it was rare to see South American victims in a case of sex trafficking in South Korea.

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In recent years, South Korea's $ 4.7 billion entertainment industry has won over an international audience eager for films, music and beauty products from that country.

There are young singers and dancers who wish to enter the highly competitive entertainment industry, and K-pop idols often receive rigorous training from an early age.

The promise of success in this expanding industry has attracted the talent of other countries, including Blackpink star Lisa, who comes from Thailand.

K-popprostitution Trafficking in Persons