'The controversy over alleged power harassment surrounding broadcaster Park Na-rae has again reached a crossroads. Amid various controversies that led her to suspend broadcasting activities — from the so-called 'injection aunt' allegation to power harassment against a former manager, obstruction of driving charges, and demands for proxy prescriptions of obstetric clinic medications — comments mixing support and criticism continue to appear on her personal account.'
After various controversies surfaced, the last post Park Na-rae left on her personal account was an apology. In the post's comment section, words of support such as "this too shall pass," "don't fall apart, stay strong," and "it's a shame Park Na-rae isn't on 'I Live Alone' these days" appeared alongside criticism like "she has already earned enough, so rest," "the errand controversy crossed the line," and "don't appear on broadcasts anymore," and a 'mud-slinging public opinion battle' has ensued.
Meanwhile, stylist Seo Su-kyung, who has styled famous celebrities such as Girls' Generation and Rhee Minjung, drew attention when her comment "Narae, stay strong!!!!!!!!" received more than 3,000 likes. Some interpreted this to mean "the support from fellow entertainers is fueling sympathy for her."
The catalyst for the spread of sympathy was the release of a recorded phone call with a former manager. In the early hours of the 8th of last month, part of a call between Park Na-rae and her former manager, a person surnamed A, was recently posted on a YouTube channel. In the recording, A, choking up, lamented, "I don't know why it reached this point," and Park Na-rae also showed emotion and continued a conversation worrying about her pet, family and health. Some netizens who saw it reacted, "This doesn't sound like a call between a victim and a perpetrator of power harassment," and "Isn't Park Na-rae the one who is unfairly treated?" Park Na-rae's posting at the time on social media that "I cleared up misunderstandings with my former managers" also lent weight to that interpretation.
But the former manager's side has a different position. A's side drew a line, saying, "There was a conversation, but there was no apology or settlement," and that it was simply a call carried out under emotional pressure. Questions have been raised about the release of the recording as well, with accusations such as "Was it selectively released?" and "Only scenes favorable to public opinion were highlighted."
Above all, there is growing concern that the controversy is being consumed solely as an emotional matter. The core of this case is not whether they were on good terms, but the legal judgment issues of workplace harassment (power harassment) and allegations of illegal medical practices. The former managers claim verbal abuse, mandatory on-call duty, unpaid wages and severance pay, and failure to enroll in the four major social insurances, and are pursuing criminal complaints and civil lawsuits. Park Na-rae's side has also filed a countersuit alleging attempted extortion and embezzlement, so the dispute over the facts has already entered the realm of investigation by law enforcement.
The allegation of unlicensed medical practice and proxy prescriptions through the person known as the 'injection aunt' remains an unresolved issue. The police conducted search and seizure operations on related charges, and it has been suggested that Park Na-rae could be questioned as a witness or a suspect. Regardless of the tears in the recording or past personal ties, this matter could lead to clear legal responsibility depending on the facts.
Park Na-rae has currently suspended all broadcasting activities. While it is true that the release of the recording and support from colleagues have partially shifted public opinion, there are many hurdles before this can be interpreted as a "signal for return." In the end, the point gaining traction is that the matter is about the results of the investigation, not emotional interpretation.<
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