Severing ties in the advertising world with Park Na-rae, who halted activities amid allegations of power abuse and illegal medical procedures, continues.
On Feb. 4, Disney+'s Fate War 49, which Park Na-rae participated in as a panelist, released its poster and teaser video and confirmed its release date.
Fate War 49 is a work in which 49 fate practitioners gather to stage an uncanny survival show testing their fate through various missions, with Jun Hyun-moo, Park Na-rae, Park Haseon, Shin Dong and Kang Ji-yeong serving as MCs. The production team that received praise for Culinary Class Wars, The Gentlemen's League series and others also joined forces here.
Attention focused on Park Na-rae. Since disclosures by former managers surfaced on Dec. 3 last year, Park Na-rae has suspended activities for two months, and the question was whether she would appear through Fate War 49. Although the released poster and teaser video did not show Park Na-rae, speculation dominated that she would appear on the broadcast without editing, since she participates as a panelist.
Park Na-rae's side said, "Fate War 49 was all produced in advance and was scheduled to be released in the first half of 2026," adding, "There are matters currently unfolding and that need to be resolved, so resolving those issues is our top priority before discussing a comeback." Their position is that the Fate War 49 release date is unrelated to Park Na-rae's comeback.
Park Na-rae is currently embroiled in a sharp conflict with her former managers. On Dec. 3 last year, Park Na-rae's former managers alleged workplace harassment, proxy prescriptions and unpaid production fees, filed for provisional seizure of real estate worth 100 million won at the Seoul Western District Court, and then filed a complaint with the Seoul Gangnam Police Station accusing Park Na-rae of special injury, defamation by false statements and violations of the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection. In response, Park Na-rae filed a complaint accusing her former managers of attempted extortion and later filed additional complaints alleging embezzlement in the course of business.
Allegations against Park Na-rae are not limited to power abuse. There is also an allegation of illegal medical procedures known as the "injection aunt gate." Park Na-rae said she believed the injection aunt was a "doctor" and insisted she was deceived as well, but it is reported that she has not taken any significant measures in response.
After allegations of power abuse and illegal medical procedures surfaced, Park Na-rae declared she would suspend activities and take a tough stance, saying, "I will stop all activities for the time being and take time to focus on sorting out this matter. I will reflect on my responsibilities and attitude in my position. Issues that require time will be calmly left to due process."
Given the devastating blow to Park Na-rae's career as an entertainer, companies that had promoted her as their brand face began to gradually draw a line. Immediately after the controversy, Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S20, American Tourister and Lotte ON deleted or set to private advertisements and posts featuring Park Na-rae. Also, OSEN confirmed on Feb. 4 that beauty medical information app Bobitalk, mobile game Three Kingdoms: Black Label, canker sore treatment Albothyl, beauty brand Hanskin and spam-blocking app Whoscall took the same action regarding videos related to Park Na-rae.
The videos currently only display messages saying "Cannot play video" or "This is a private video." While the exact reasons these companies deleted or set Park Na-rae's advertising videos to private have not been revealed, it is presumed to be due to the fallout from two months of ongoing allegations of power abuse and illegal medical procedures.
Meanwhile, Park Na-rae is reported to be taking classes at an academy in central Seoul that teaches makgeolli brewing techniques. A man who stays by Park Na-rae's side said, "Park Na-rae is trying to overcome this even in a lonely situation where she is alone. She is preparing to testify very faithfully in parts that will require future police investigation."
OSEN=Jang Wooyoung reporter