YouTuber Iwonji, who has 980,000 subscribers, faced a wave of criticism after revealing a "6-pyeong basement office," and issued a second explanatory statement to manage the fallout.
On the 20th, Wonji posted a video titled "Looking for a 6-pyeong office" on her YouTube channel. The released footage showed the interior environment as it was, including a basement second floor·no windows·about 6 pyeong space where three employees worked, and immediately after it was posted online strong criticism followed, such as "This is too poor for a 1 million-subscriber YouTuber," "Isn't this a black company?," and "It's like a prison."
As the controversy grew, Wonji posted a first apology the same day and set the video to private. She wrote that "from the video alone the overall ventilation system or building structure could not be fully conveyed, so it seems it was perceived differently than in reality," and added that "because people using the same building could misunderstand, I had no choice but to make it private." She also explained that "there are no windows, but I judged the space to be designed to allow air circulation through the building's ventilation system."
In particular, regarding the misunderstanding about the "printer" that caused controversy in the comments, she corrected that "it was a regular document printer, not a 3D printer," and emphasized, "I am sorry for causing concern," adding, "This is our first office, so there are many shortcomings. I will actively reflect the opinions left for us," and apologized.
However, criticism continued even after the apology, and Wonji posted a second explanatory statement to provide a more detailed background.
Wonji said, "As we filled the office, we found we needed more than expected. I should have chosen a larger place from the start; my judgment was lacking," and regarding criticism that the workspace was "in the basement second floor" she explained, "the entire building has an atrium structure that is open from the basement second floor up to the sky, so it did not feel as stuffy. There is a table and a small café in the atrium, so outdoor meetings are also possible."
She added the reasoning that "it is a super-station area connected underground to Pangyo Station, and because it is a new building the management of shared facilities is well maintained. Given the nature of the work, easy parking and stopping was also important." She also said about restaurant accessibility, "When I briefly worked in Hannam-dong it was difficult because there were no restaurants nearby. Pangyo was nice because there were many options."
Finally she said again, "This being our first office, there were many shortcomings. Even if it is difficult at first, we will gradually and surely improve," and apologized again, saying, "I share sales and plans transparently with team members. We will create a better environment."
Despite the explanations, online reactions continued: "The explanation is understandable, but are the office conditions themselves appropriate?", "If this is the first office of a 1 million-subscriber YouTuber, more thought should have been given," and "You must prioritize the team members' environment above all else."
Meanwhile, Wonji gained popularity through travel content and built public recognition, and expanded her activities by appearing on ENA's variety show "World Dice Tour." She also announced her marriage earlier this year.<
[photo] OSEN DB / YouTube capture
[OSEN]