Hee Jini, "It looks bad" to employee who had seizure at office… proposes unpaid leave, 'shocking' [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kids creator Hee Jini (real name Kang Hye-jin) is reported to have told Person A, who had a seizure at the company, that "it looks bad to other employees."

On the 29th, a video titled "[Exclusive] 'You're saying they falsified workers' compensation documents?' Former Hee Jini employees make determined rebuttal… Shocking reason for speaking out after 7 years" was uploaded to the YouTube channel "Re:Fact Lee Jin-ho."

On this day, Lee Jin-ho revealed a record of a phone conversation with Person A, who identified themselves as a former employee who worked at Hee Jini's company. Person A is the individual who recently exposed the labor exploitation controversy surrounding Hee Jini.

Person A shared their thoughts on Hee Jini's side's statement denying the labor exploitation controversy and claiming they had raised salaries by 25 percent. "The evidence is clear, so I found it absurd that they lied like that in the statement," Person A said. "I think my feelings would have eased if I could have felt genuine remorse from them."

Person A stated, "They did not raise my salary by 25 percent right after I joined; it happened after I had been working many overtime hours continuously and moved to an apartment near the company. My salary was already very low, so when the amount left over after rent was deposited, Hye-jin (Hee Jini's real name) told me, 'Sister, isn't it too hard to live on this? I'll raise your annual salary,' and notified me that it would be 21 million won. Going from 20 million won to 21 million won is not a 25 percent increase; it is a 5 percent increase."

Person A also exposed details regarding bonuses. "What I found particularly excessive about Hye-jin was that the reason I was put on unpaid leave was because I kept having seizures at the company," Person A said. "They clearly told me that. Because I kept showing this condition at the company, they said 'it doesn't look good to other employees.' That is why they proposed leave to me."

Person A continued, "That was in mid-December 2018. But it was written as if the bonus was given because I was sick, which felt excessive. It was a bonus paid equally to all employees at the end of every year." Adding further, Person A said, "I worked from January until mid-December. They wrote that they gave me a salary for the days worked plus a bonus as if it were a special payment made specifically for my benefit, which I found excessive."

Person A also disclosed their current health status. "After my niece was born and I spent time with her, I have recovered much more than before and am now well enough to engage in outdoor activities," Person A said.

Previously, Person A posted an exposé on an online community, revealing that they had been long-time friends with Hee Jini.

Person A stated that they began working after receiving a proposal in December 2012 to collaborate as creators for a Chinese-language channel. However, Person A claimed that they essentially handled the entire channel production and operation alone, including writing video scripts, translation, voice actor recruitment, dubbing direction, video editing, and uploading.

Person A explained that after signing a contract with an annual salary of 20 million won, which was later raised to 21 million won, they worked up to 16 hours a day without separate overtime pay. Person A also claimed that in November 2018, they visited the emergency room due to shortness of breath during overtime work, and subsequently received diagnoses of panic disorder, depression, and social anxiety.

In response, Hee Jini's side explained, "We paid salaries without issue under the compensation system at the time of hiring nine years ago, and contrary to what has been reported, we raised the annual salary by 25 percent. We also separately paid a bonus during the leave period." They added, "During the early founding stage, our company operated by consulting with colleagues every time regarding the content and methods of assigned duties. We granted broad autonomy in work schedules and execution methods. Depending on the situation, we allowed for adjustments to working hours or the option of remote work."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original