A former manager who publicly accused comedian Park Na-rae of workplace abuse has released a statement pushing back on her side of the story.
In a clarification sent to media, the ex-staffer, identified as A, said, “After I resigned on November 9, I was discussing unpaid wages and severance with Park’s accounting team when, on November 11, I was contacted by a newly appointed labor consultant from Park’s side.” A added, “It was unsettling to have a third party suddenly step in while I was already in talks with the accounting team.”
A and a team leader then met with the labor consultant on November 19 to address alleged wage delays and severance. “Starting November 23, a lawyer representing Park contacted me directly and kept pushing to meet between the 23rd and 24th,” A claimed. “On the morning of the 24th, I was told that colluding with the team leader could lead to legal trouble or even detention.”
Previously, A told outlets that Park had failed to provide national insurance coverage. YouTuber Lee Jin-ho later shared KakaoTalk messages he said came from Park, A, and Park’s accounting rep, arguing that A agreed to settle for 3.5 million won in wages and chose not to sign a labor contract―therefore opting out of the four major insurances.
There’s also fresh pushback regarding A’s visit to Park’s home for drinks.
Audio of a call between A and Park was released, in which A―audibly emotional―asks about Park’s dog (“Did Bokdori take his meds?”), worries about Park’s mother, and appears to suggest meeting up.
A countered that claim, saying, “I never initiated any calls after resigning. Both calls in question (1:42 a.m. and 2:31 a.m. on December 8) were made by Park. I have recordings of those calls and a subsequent in-person conversation that lasted about three hours.” A added, “I already had plans to meet someone for drinks that night, and through a third party I heard Park wanted to reach a settlement. I wasn’t feeling well, but I agreed to meet believing that.”
A also alleges Park brought up her dog Bokdori during the call to keep the conversation going. According to A, the late-night meetup included A, Park, Park’s designer, and Park’s boyfriend, and “there was no discussion whatsoever of a legal settlement.” A continued, “No settlement agreement, no amount, no talk of filing or dropping complaints was ever raised. The recent claim that I demanded 500 million won is false.”
A’s side says they sent Park’s team a draft agreement on December 8 with the amount left blank, requesting only an apology and acknowledgment of alleged false reports, but talks broke down. “Park messaged asking, ‘If not money, what do you want?’ and kept repeating the same lines,” A said. “Eventually, Park’s side said they would proceed with legal action.”
Park and her former manager are now locked in a legal back-and-forth in both civil and criminal arenas. With sharply conflicting accounts, the case will likely hinge on what investigators and the courts determine in the coming weeks.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)