Popular Korean comedian and variety show host Park Na-rae has finally broken her silence regarding a workplace controversy that has dominated social media discussions this week. The star found herself at the center of heated online debates after reports surfaced suggesting that former staff members had accused her of workplace misconduct and unfair treatment.
The controversy began when local media reports indicated that two of Park's former managers had made serious allegations against the beloved entertainer. These claims quickly went viral on social media platforms, particularly among Korea's MZ generation—a term used to describe millennials and Generation Z—sparking intense discussions about working conditions and employee treatment within Korea's entertainment industry.
On December 5, Park's management company, Npark Co., issued a detailed statement addressing the allegations and providing their version of events. The agency announced that they are currently investigating all the facts surrounding the media reports by gathering statements from both Park Na-rae and her former managers to establish an accurate timeline of events.
According to Npark Co., the two employees in question had worked with Park for approximately 15 months before recently submitting their resignations. The agency stated that both former staff members received their standard severance packages as required by Korean labor law. However, the situation took an unexpected turn after the severance payments were processed.
The agency revealed that the former managers then made additional financial demands that far exceeded normal compensation expectations. Initially, the two ex-employees allegedly requested an additional payment equivalent to 10 percent of the company's revenue from the previous year. The agency claims these demands continued to escalate over time, eventually reaching several hundred million won—a sum that would be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in US currency.
Npark Co. described itself as a small, single-artist management company, emphasizing the disproportionate nature of the financial demands relative to the company's size and resources. The agency also addressed additional complaints raised by the former employees regarding delays in the company's official registration under Korea's pop culture business regulations.
However, Npark Co. pushed back against these accusations, claiming that the registration delays were actually the responsibility of one of the former employees who had allegedly provided false information about the completion of the registration process. The agency stated that they are now in the final stages of completing their proper registration with the relevant Korean authorities.
The ongoing dispute has taken a significant toll on Park Na-rae's mental health, according to her agency's statement. Npark Co. reported that the comedian has been experiencing severe psychological stress due to multiple factors surrounding the controversy.
"Park Na-rae is experiencing heavy psychological stress and mental shock due to the sudden resignations, the baseless accusations that followed, the escalating monetary demands and additional pressure through media reports," the agency stated in their official release.
Despite defending their client, Npark Co. acknowledged that Park is willing to take responsibility where appropriate. The agency stated that Park recognizes there may have been shortcomings in her management practices and has no intention of avoiding accountability for any legitimate issues that may have occurred.
However, the agency drew a firm line regarding what they characterized as unreasonable demands from the former employees. They announced that Park can no longer comply with what they described as "unilateral demands based on claims that do not reflect the truth." As a result, Npark Co. confirmed that they are prepared to pursue legal action to resolve the dispute through the court system.
