Broadcaster Park Narae made an extreme move by posting a final statement, but public opinion grew colder as there was no apology or explanation. After being cut off by the entertainment industry and the advertising world, the Korea Entertainment Management Association (KEMA) disciplinary ethics committee (disciplinary committee) also defined the behavior as a serious act that hinders industry development, making Park Narae's fight even lonelier and more isolated.
The two major allegations currently facing Park Narae are abusive treatment of managers and receiving illegal medical procedures. Former managers who quit exposed that they were forced by Park Narae to run personal errands as well as to arrange proxy prescriptions for psychotropic drugs, and they also raised financial settlement issues such as unpaid hosting fees. There are also allegations that nonmedical personnel administered cosmetic injections at her home.
Regarding this, Park Narae said, "I have decided to suspend broadcasting activities until everything is neatly resolved. I bow my head and deeply apologize once again to everyone who trusted and supported me," and she withdrew from all programs she was appearing on and suspended her activities.
Even after suspending activities, revelations from former managers continued. As additional allegations arose, including failure to enroll managers in the four major social insurance programs and embezzlement claims that company funds were paid to an ex-boyfriend and others, Park Narae faced the biggest crisis of her career in the entertainment industry.
On the 16th, Park Narae said in a video titled "final statement" that "there are parts of the facts raised now that need to be calmly verified, so legal procedures are underway. I will not make additional public remarks or explanations during that process. I judge that this matter is not a personal emotional or relationship issue but one that should be objectively confirmed through official procedures," she said.
However, the roughly 2 minute 24 second video did not contain an apology or explanation. Standing before the camera with a solemn atmosphere and eyes full of resolve, Park Narae declared an intention to "let the law take its course," conveying a nuance of going "all the way" with her managers.
A day after Park Narae's "final statement" was released, KEMA also took action. The KEMA disciplinary committee pointed out ▲allegations such as Park Narae's company operating without registration for public culture and arts planning, failure to enroll managers in the four major social insurance programs ▲forcing managers to run personal errands, workplace harassment such as verbal abuse and assault ▲allegations of illegal medical procedures performed by unlicensed people known as so-called "injection aunt" and "IV aunt" ▲and allegations of unpaid hosting fees and embezzlement of company funds paid to an ex-boyfriend and others.
In particular, the committee said this "disturbs the wholesome customs and order of the popular culture and arts industry and is a serious act that hinders the industry's development," and added that "as a person who is a star of the Republic of Korea, continuing entertainment activities without sufficiently first seeking public understanding, behaving politely and seriously, taking responsibility as a public figure, and practicing self-restraint should be avoided."
Before KEMA's firm response, the broadcasting and advertising sectors began cutting ties with Park Narae. In broadcasting, there were moves to edit or minimize her appearances even before she announced the suspension of activities. In advertising, brands that used Park Narae as a model switched past ads to private. Videos that were released in 2020 for Samsung Electronics Galaxy S20 and videos released in 2019 for American Tourister and LotteON have been set to private.
In addition, programs that Park Narae had been scheduled to appear on or was filming were canceled entirely. Productions including "Na Do Shinna," which would have featured Jang Doyoun, Shin Giru and Heo Anna, as well as "Palm You Trip," were scrapped, turning the impact beyond personal damage to Park Narae into harm to her colleagues in the entertainment industry.
Park Narae, who had been loved for her image of liking people and taking good care of them and was always surrounded by lively attention, has seen public sentiment turn cold as controversies have arisen in succession over allegations of abusive treatment of the managers closest to her, and those who had sent her love calls are leaving one after another.
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