Netizens Say, "If a Man Did It, the Program Should Be Abolished"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Broadcaster Park Narae has been embroiled in a sexual harassment controversy due to remarks and actions in a YouTube video. In response, the production team posted an apology and deleted the video.
On the 23rd, the second episode of "Hey Narae" was uploaded on the YouTube channel Studio Waffle.
The thumbnail of the video included phrases such as "Restricted to 39+, uncontrollable naughty hands, failed moderation" and "K-Modest."
In the video, Park Narae played with YouTuber Hey Jini using a toy. The toy was a male doll called "Armstrong Man" wearing underwear.
While changing the doll's clothes, Park Narae placed the doll's arm near the groin area and made bold remarks with high-level gestures.
Park Narae said, "It seems like he's only wearing underwear," then lowered the doll's arm to the back and moved it to the front of the underwear. She expressed surprise, saying, "This works too?"
She continued, "I want to see how far it stretches." Hey Jini responded, "Are you 25 years old just now?"
After the video was uploaded, criticism arose questioning whether Park Narae's behavior constituted sexual harassment.
Although the content was originally intended for a 19+ audience, netizens expressed that it "crossed the line."
Some netizens reacted with comments such as "If a man did this, it would be shocking and the program would be canceled" and "This video should be rated 19+," criticizing Park Narae.
In response, the production team removed provocative phrases from the thumbnail, but the controversy did not subside, and ultimately the production team deleted the video.
The "Hey Narae" production team posted an apology on the YouTube channel on the 24th, stating, "We sincerely apologize to our subscribers for the disappointment caused by the second episode. We humbly accept the feedback from our subscribers and plan to review the second episode. We will also be more careful in producing future videos."
The production team added, "We are also sorry for causing harm to the cast due to excessive directing and character settings. Once again, we apologize to everyone who watches Hey Narae."
Additionally, netizens pointed out not only the second episode of "Hey Narae" but also the previously uploaded pilot episode (episode 0).
In the pilot episode, Park Narae said things like "The pepper inside the pants" and "Please put pants on the 'pee' part. The pepper is a vegetable, so it can go out." She also shook a carrot, which evoked the image of male masturbation.
Meanwhile, "Hey Narae" is an original content of CJ ENM's digital entertainment channel Studio Waffle, a reality entertainment program starring Park Narae and Hey Jini.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
