As allegations of manager "gapjil," or abuse of power, surrounding comedian Park Na-rae have surfaced, a past moment showing singer Jang Yoon-jung being considerate of her manager's working conditions drew attention online on the 16th.
In June, Jang Yoon-jung released a video of her daily life on Dojang TV, a YouTube channel she runs with her husband, former announcer-turned-broadcaster Do Kyung-wan. In the video, she visited a restaurant and, while eating and drinking, asked her manager whether to call a designated driver.
When the manager declined, saying it was okay, Jang said, "I'll give you 2 minutes, so think about it." She added, "When I look at the comments, many people find it fresh that I drink with my manager and call a substitute driver," and said, "What kind of world is it these days that when you drink you tell your manager to wait?"
When the production staff said, "That's the kind of world it is," Jang stressed, "That shouldn't happen. You should send the manager off and, after drinking alone, find your own way back." She added, "If you don't do that, you could be reported to an agency like the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL)."
The scene drew renewed attention amid the recent situation in which Park Na-rae's former managers filed a complaint against Park on charges including aggravated assault causing injury, defamation by specifying false facts, and violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.
Internet users reacted by saying, "Isn't that the normal way to think?" "There's a reason Jang Yoon-jung has a long run," "Managers' situations change drastically depending on which celebrity they meet," and "We need a full survey of managers' working conditions."
The former managers allege workplace bullying, verbal abuse, illegal proxy prescriptions, and unpaid operating expenses by Park Na-rae, and also claim they were subjected to personal mistreatment such as errands for side dishes, cleaning up after parties, pressure to drink, and "24-hour standby."
Park Na-rae expressed her position on the situation via her social networking service (SNS) on the 8th. She said, "The day before (on the 7th), I was able to meet face-to-face with a former manager, and while we were able to resolve the misunderstandings and distrust between us, I still believe everything is my fault and am reflecting deeply."