Heeji Nini, a kids' content creator facing allegations of labor exploitation, faces backlash over video revealing her 56-pyeong home; Lee Ji-hye's YouTube comments suspended [Star Issue]

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Amid allegations of labor exploitation at Kids Works, the company operated by kids' content creator Heeji Nini, who has 4.13 million subscribers, critical comments have continued to pour in on a YouTube video she appeared in.

Recently, Heeji Nini appeared on broadcaster Lee Ji-hye's YouTube channel "Not Ugly Narcissist Sister" and revealed her home, which spans 56 pyeong (approximately 184 square meters).

In the video released at the time, Heeji Nini invited Lee Ji-hye and her husband Moon Jae-won to her home along with her own husband, where they engaged in various conversations. The two couples introduced different parts of the house while sharing their daily lives.

However, as allegations of labor exploitation by a former employee of Kids Works recently surfaced, critical comments flooded the video in question.

Some netizens left comments such as, "They make employees work 16 hours a day and pay them just 20 million won in annual salary, then save up to buy a nice house. Impressive," and "It must be good to live in a nice house thanks to labor exploitation."

Subsequently, the team behind "Not Ugly Narcissist Sister" temporarily suspended the comment function for the video in question. The comment section is currently closed, and the controversy surrounding Heeji Nini appears to have spread to other YouTube channels she has appeared on.

Previously, Person A, who identified themselves as a long-time friend of Heeji Nini and a former employee of Kids Works, claimed to have received unfair treatment while working there.

According to Person A, after signing an employment contract with an annual salary of 20 million won, the salary was raised to 21 million won, but they worked up to 16 hours a day without separate overtime pay. Additionally, Person A claimed that their health deteriorated due to the working environment at the time, leading to diagnoses of panic disorder, depression, and social anxiety.

As the controversy spread, Kids Works issued an official statement on the 27th to explain the situation.

Kids Works stated, "The company is taking the pain of a former colleague very seriously," adding, "We sincerely feel sorry and deeply apologize for the fact that someone who worked with us lost their health and went through a difficult time, regardless of the factual circumstances."

However, they took a different stance regarding claims about the working environment. The Kids Works team explained, "In the early days of our founding, we operated by consulting with the colleague every time regarding the content and methods of their assigned duties, and granted them broad autonomy over work schedules and execution methods."

They continued, "We allowed for adjustments to working hours depending on the situation or the option of remote work," adding, "To reduce the burden of commuting, we also supported the security deposit for a residence near the company."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original