Additional allegations surface against Heeji-ni amid "labor exploitation" suspicions: "She engaged in gaslighting," former employee testifies

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

As kids' content creator Heeji-ni faces suspicions of labor exploitation, further allegations have emerged.

On the 27th, an individual identified as A, who stated they were a former employee of Kids Works, came forward with additional disclosures. A presented a certificate verifying enrollment in the four major social insurance programs as evidence.

A said, "After reading the exposé written by B, I have mustered the courage to speak out after much deliberation," adding, "It was common knowledge through rumors that an employee suffered from panic disorder at the time of hiring. Although it is claimed that the environment has changed since that incident, there has been no substantive improvement."

A further alleged, "Rather, it appeared that they were cunningly exploiting loopholes within the bounds of what is not legally problematic."

Additionally, A claimed to have experienced a lack of compensatory leave for weekend and holiday work, unlimited overtime due to the abuse of the comprehensive wage system, and persistent gaslighting alongside resistance to resignation.

A stated, "Whenever I expressed my intention to resign, they engaged in gaslighting by undermining employees' self-esteem with remarks like 'Are you going to give up so easily?'" and added, "They seemed to take advantage of the fact that early-career employees were unaware that their resignation would be processed after a certain period even if they refused to submit formal notice. They failed to process legitimate resignations in a timely manner and appeared to apply persuasion and pressure."

Previously, an individual identified as B, who stated they had worked at Heeji-ni's company, also recently exposed suspicions of labor exploitation through an online community.

B, who claimed to have been a long-time friend of Heeji-ni, stated that they began working after receiving a proposal in December 2012 to collaborate as a creator for a Chinese-language channel. However, B alleged that they were essentially solely responsible for the entire production and operation of the channel, including writing video scripts, translation, securing voice actors, directing dubbing, video editing, and uploading.

B explained that after initially contracting for an annual salary of 20 million won, it was raised to 21 million won, yet they worked up to 16 hours a day without separate overtime pay. B also claimed to have visited the emergency room in November 2018 due to shortness of breath during overtime work, and subsequently received diagnoses of panic disorder, depression, and social anxiety, sparking controversy.

However, the claims made by both individuals have not yet been verified as factual.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original