Owl Rock, 5 minutes 23 seconds, Hoo-hoo-hoo... Park Tae-jun's Ilbe controversy blocks 'Manager Kim's' path [★FOCUS]

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SBS's Friday-Saturday drama "Manager Kim," starring actor So Ji-sub, has emerged as the year's biggest box office hit. However, past allegations of Ilbe (a far-right online community) involvement by Park Tae-jun, who oversaw production of the original webtoon, have resurfaced, plunging the series into continuous controversy.

According to Nielsen Korea's data compiled on the 5th, the fourth episode of "Manager Kim" (scripted by Nam Dae-jung, directed by Lee Seung-young and Lee So-eun), broadcast the previous day, recorded a national average viewership of 21.6% and a Seoul metropolitan area average of 22.7%. The peak instantaneous viewership reached as high as 25.1%. This makes it the first drama since 2024 to surpass 20% in national viewership ratings, approximately two years later.

Unwelcome news also followed the hit drama "Manager Kim." Past allegations of Ilbe involvement involving Park Tae-jun, who oversaw production of the original webtoon, have resurfaced.

On the 3rd, YouTuber "Geoji Eoptda" (Almost None), appearing on the YouTube channel "Yeouido Yeollmundae-dong," highlighted a scene from Park Tae-jun's 2015 work "Appearance-Based Society," where a character measures time with a stopwatch showing "5 minutes 23 seconds," while a shop sign in the background reads "ROCK OWLING." The explanation states that "5 minutes 23 seconds" evokes the date of former President Roh Moo-hyun Jeon (President)'s passing, May 23, and "ROCK OWLING" recalls Owl Rock, the location where Roh Jeon (President) passed away.

Regarding this, "Geoji Eoptda" pointed out, "The character looks at a stopwatch and says '5 minutes 23 seconds.' Former President Roh Moo-hyun Jeon (President) passed away on May 23. Five minutes is five minutes, 5 minutes 30 seconds is 30 seconds—what about 5 minutes 23 seconds? Creators do not casually insert such details."

Additionally, a scene depicting an organized crime gang eating in "Appearance-Based Society" has been criticized as potentially mocking former President Roh Jeon (President)'s actual dining habits. At the time, online communities overlaid photos of Roh Jeon (President)'s meals onto the controversial eating scene, revealing striking matches in lip shape, mouth wrinkles, and forehead lines, further intensifying the controversy.

Furthermore, Park Tae-jun's 2021 work "Diary of Desire" was also criticized for using the expression "Hoo-hoo-hoo," which is understood to mock then-President Moon Jae-in.

As allegations of Ilbe involvement surfaced due to multiple works, Park Tae-jun denied them, stating, "It's absurd. Even if I am an uneducated and inadequate person, I am not someone who would dare do such a thing using the late president's photo." However, throughout repeated Ilbe controversies, Park consistently maintained that these were mere coincidences and expressed feelings of injustice, a stance analysts argue actually worsened the situation.

Park Tae-jun's long-standing Ilbe controversy has ultimately created a crisis threatening to block the path of "Manager Kim," which achieved over 20% viewership. Of course, "Manager Kim" itself has no direct connection to the Ilbe controversy, and the original webtoon "Manager Kim" was not drawn by Park Tae-jun. The story for the original webtoon was created by Toyi, illustrations by Jeong Jong-taek, and direction and storyboarding by Gyaoo. Park Tae-jun served as production supervisor.

Nevertheless, it is widely argued that "Manager Kim" cannot be entirely free from this controversy because it shares the worldview of the so-called "Park Tae-jun Universe." As these allegations spread, voices calling for a boycott of "Manager Kim" are growing louder, raising questions about whether the drama's success can continue.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original