On October 28, the YouTube channel “Respect Lee Jin-ho” released a video titled “[Exclusive] ‘Unnie! Did I Tell You to Do That?’ Additional Audio Recordings of Hey Jini… Why Her Eight-Year Best Friend Was Left in Tears.”
In the video, Lee Jin-ho said he would examine the case based on the evidence he had obtained and statements from the people involved, before revealing several details concerning former employee A.
When asked about claims that A’s health had rapidly deteriorated because of an excessive concentration of work on her, Lee said, “A claimed that her health worsened because of an exhausting workload. She reportedly endured intense work around the clock and even had to come to work during the Chuseok and Lunar New Year holidays.”
Lee added that A had continued to endure the conditions because she believed a promise that she would appear in broadcasts alongside Hey Jini once the company’s Chinese-language channel became successful. However, as the situation continued to repeat itself, A’s health began to break down.
Lee further explained, “One day, after working overtime and leaving work in the early hours of the morning, A reportedly had difficulty breathing, broke out in a cold sweat, and became unable to move. She told a company executive, who is Hey Jini’s husband, that she thought something was wrong with her heart and that she was in severe pain. According to A, the company responded that the company was struggling more and that she was struggling more herself. It did not hire additional staff, meaning the excessive workload was bound to continue.”
He continued, “A eventually suffered respiratory distress while working overtime in November 2018 and was taken to the emergency room. She later said she had been diagnosed with panic disorder and depression.”
Meanwhile, A, a friend of Hey Jini who reportedly began working at the company at Hey Jini’s suggestion, recently sparked controversy after posting allegations on an online community. She claimed that working long hours under Hey Jini led to panic disorder and that her condition was subsequently recognized as a work-related industrial accident. A said her annual salary at the time was 20 million won, later increasing to 21 million won. Despite this, she alleged that she worked up to 16 hours a day without separate overtime pay and was required to work on weekends and during holidays. She also claimed that when her health deteriorated and she applied for workers’ compensation, the company initially offered to help but later submitted a statement denying a connection between her illness and her work.
As the controversy intensified, Kidsworks, the company associated with Hey Jini, issued an official statement on October 27. The company said A had been paid according to its established salary system and that her annual salary was subsequently increased by 25%. It also stated that she received a separate bonus while on leave. Addressing allegations that it had obstructed her workers’ compensation application, the company responded, “Respecting our colleague’s wish to apply for workers’ compensation at the end of 2018, we introduced her to an external certified labor attorney so that she could receive a direct consultation, and helped ensure that she received clear guidance on the application process.”
Sources: Nate