Insults and ostracism on top of manager assault.. abuse happening off-camera [★FOCUS]

*This content was translated by AI.

While they bring laughter and emotion under bright lights, there are stories of those who were hurt behind the scenes. As stars repeatedly confess experiences of bullying and discrimination they endured during their unknown or rookie days, the long-standing on-set culture in the broadcasting industry is once again surfacing.

Kim Hye-yoon, who has grown into a "trusted actor," revealed her painful struggles during her unknown days when she appeared on tvN's variety program 'You Quiz on the Block' last January. Having failed over 100 auditions, she confessed that she also suffered constant verbal abuse on set.

Kim Hye-yoon stated, "I was scolded a lot on set. There were things I couldn't say on broadcast, and I heard many insults on location." Physical pain followed as well. She recounted having to wait all night at a 24-hour café while waiting for the support crew's transport vehicle, and there were days when she waited nine hours on site but her turn never came. She even confessed that she once developed frostbite on her fingers from waiting in the cold, causing her fingernails to fall off. She shared the bitter past of crying endlessly on public transportation while heading home after filming, evoking sympathy.

Broadcaster Park Seul-gi exposed a shocking story of bullying by a male actor through her YouTube channel 'A-class Jang Young-ran' in 2024. At the time, Park arrived late to a film set because she had requested prior understanding due to a radio schedule. Since it was break time and all actors were eating hamburgers, Park chose not to eat, feeling guilty that filming had been delayed because of her.

Instead, she encouraged her manager, who had suffered on her account, saying, "You should at least eat," allowing the manager to have a hamburger. However, according to Park, Actor A suddenly slapped the manager's cheek and shouted, "You f***ing dog. Why are you eating when your actor hasn't eaten?" Park recalled that moment, saying, "It seems he couldn't take it out on me, so he took it out on the manager." She described it as an indirect expression of anger directed at her.

Jang Young-ran, a broadcaster beloved by the public for her unique bright energy, also had a past marred by wounds. In November 2023, she confessed on her YouTube channel about the severe contempt and discrimination she experienced during her rookie reporter days.

At that time, Jang Young-ran showed determination by persistently visiting the waiting room even after being refused interviews, but what she received was cold indifference. She recalled, "There were people who completely ignored me. Many would say, 'I told you not to come,' and even raise their hands at me."

She also said she had similar experiences on variety show sets. Being treated as the lowest of the low, to the point where she was said to be sold like a molehill, she later revealed that during her appearance on the popular variety program 'Love Letter,' dinner parties were held every time except for her, causing her great pain.

When cameras are rolling, everyone is a kind colleague and warm senior or junior, but once the lights go out, violence and ostracism toward the vulnerable continue to grow like poisonous mushrooms in various corners of the set. This starkly reflects the bitter reality of the broadcasting industry, where hierarchy is strictly divided based on fame and power, going beyond mere individual character issues.

Of course, there are limitations in generalizing such experiences as a phenomenon across the entire broadcasting industry due to their nature as individual cases. However, given that many entertainers have publicly shared similar experiences while reflecting on their unknown or rookie days, there are calls to reconsider whether the hierarchical culture on set and consideration for the vulnerable were sufficient.

To create a production environment where no one's tears and sacrifices are taken for granted, it is urgently necessary for the industry to undergo painful self-reflection and foster a mature on-set culture.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.