Broadcaster Park Na-rae during an interview with ‘Sports Kyunghyang’ at a bar in Changcheon-dong, Seoul, on the 24th. Photo by Lee Sun-myung 57km@kyunghyang.com
Amid allegations of abuse of power surrounding comedian Park Na-rae, the recording of the new variety show she appears on, ‘I Am Excited Too’, has been canceled.
Yonhap News Agency reported on the 5th that the production team of MBC’s new variety program ‘I Am Excited Too’ informed the cast around the afternoon of the previous day that the shoot scheduled for that day was canceled. However, the production team told some outlets regarding the cancellation of the ‘I Am Excited Too’ recording that “it was only postponed due to scheduling coordination with the cast and is unrelated to the allegations.”
The program is a variety show in which Park Na-rae and her friends of 19 yearscomedians Jang Do-yeon, Shin Giru, and Heo Annago on a trip together, and it is scheduled to air in January next year.
Regarding another variety show featuring Park Na-rae, ‘Amazing Saturday’, tvN said, “the episode scheduled for tomorrow has already completed filming,” and “so far, there have been no changes (such as editing).” On MBC ‘Save Me, Holmes’, which aired the previous day, Park Na-rae appeared without edits.
Earlier, two former managers of Park Na-rae filed an application for provisional attachment of real estate with the Seoul Western District Court on the 3rd. They alleged damages including workplace harassment, aggravated assault, proxy prescriptions, and non-payment of operating expenses during their employment, and also announced a damages claim against Park Na-rae worth about 100 million won.
The former managers claimed that Park Na-rae not only kept them on call 24 hours a day for errands such as snack runs, cleaning up after parties, and forcing drinking sessions, but also used them as housekeepers by assigning family tasks. They also claimed that one manager was verbally abused for not drinking and was injured by a glass thrown in anger.
Representatives for Park Na-rae have stated that they are in discussions with a law firm.
As Park Na-rae appears on many variety programs, the fallout is expected to grow further.
