Travel YouTuber Wonji (real name Lee Wonji) continues to lose subscribers despite posting three apologies after the so-called "6-pyeong basement office" controversy.
As of the afternoon of the 9th, Wonji's YouTube channel Wonji's Day has about 980,000 subscribers. Considering it exceeded 1.02 million on the 21st of last month, this represents a decline of more than about 40,000 subscribers. In some recent videos, the number of dislikes has appeared almost twice as high as likes, reflecting continued public disappointment.
The controversy began with a video released last month titled "seeking a 6-pyeong office." Wonji introduced a new office as a roughly 6-pyeong space on basement level 2 with no windows, and the revelation that three employees were working together at that location sparked the controversy. The criticism grew especially intense because Wonji had often emphasized "if there is no ventilation, you must leave" and stressed "ventilation."
In response, Wonji made the video private and apologized twice in writing. He explained the possibility of misunderstanding, saying, "the ventilation system and building structure were not sufficiently conveyed by the video alone," but public sentiment did not calm easily even after his second apology that "as an employer I lacked consideration."
Ultimately, on the 4th Wonji posted a third apology in a video showing her face directly. "I have emphasized the importance of ventilation more than anyone, and I failed to pay attention to that," she said, and "I switched to working from home immediately after the controversy," repeatedly bowing her head. At the same time, she said, "false rumors are spreading so it was necessary to explain promptly," and corrected misunderstandings related to the Hannam-dong office and the agency CEO.
However, despite repeated explanations, it has not been easy to restore trust in the channel. Industry observers have analyzed that "because she is a creator with the influence of 1 million subscribers, shortcomings in the initial response had a greater effect on the flow of public opinion."
Meanwhile, Wonji appeared on ENA variety show World Dice Tour, and she will join the EBS travel variety show Hobby Is a Science Trip, which premieres on the 15th.
[Photo] Provided by ENA / OSEN DB
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