Korean TV star Park Na-rae, 40, who recently paused all activities amid allegations of mistreating former managers and receiving an illegal cosmetic injection, is now expected to pursue legal action rather than a private settlement, according to multiple accounts.
On December 8, Park said in an official statement that she had finally met former managers and “cleared up misunderstandings,” adding that she took responsibility and was reflecting―wording that suggested the dispute had been smoothed over. But her ex-managers countered that there was “no settlement and no apology.”
Speaking to a local outlet on December 9, a former manager acknowledged a roughly three-hour, pre-dawn meeting ahead of Park’s statement but insisted the conflict remains unresolved. “When I said I’d kept quiet for a month, Park replied, ‘Then let’s sue,’” the manager claimed, adding they were shocked to see her say the misunderstandings were cleared. The manager also said the meeting felt designed to set up her statement rather than to negotiate terms.
Commentary on YouTube channels covering the dispute suggested the two sides came in with different expectations: the ex-managers reportedly anticipated a nuts-and-bolts negotiation to nail down specific terms, while Park’s side prioritized an emotional reconciliation. With money and legal issues left unaddressed, the standoff now appears headed to court.
Park has stepped down from all current programs and announced a hiatus. Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station has received a criminal complaint from former managers accusing Park of aggravated assault and defamation based on alleged false statements. Authorities are also reviewing claims that she received an illegal procedure from a non-licensed provider colloquially known in Korea as an “injection aunt.”
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)