Celebrity Scandals Spark Renewed Cancel Culture Debate in South Korea

In a matter of days, three big names in South Korea's entertainment industry have made headlines in separate scandals that could derail their careers.

The allegations that have embroiled comedians Park Na-rae and Cho Sae-ho, as well as veteran actor Cho Jin-woong, are all different - ranging from workplace abuse to previous teenage detention to associations with a gang member.

But the results have been the same: departures from the television screens where they had worked their way up to become household names. The scandals have also raised questions about the standards to which South Korea's public figures are held - especially in the entertainment industry.

Park Na-rae, one of the country's most successful female comedians, made headlines last week when two of her former managers lodged criminal complaints claiming she had verbally abused and physically assaulted them. The 40-year-old had also made them do her personal chores, they alleged. Park has denied these allegations and sued the former managers for blackmail, her agency said over the weekend.

She is separately being accused of receiving IV drips illegally at home, which violates the local medical law, prompting a police investigation. On Monday, Park Na-rae announced on social media that she had talked things through with her accusers, but would halt all broadcasting activities until things were clearly resolved.

Another comedian who has come under scrutiny over the past week is Cho Sae-ho.

Rumours started swirling last week that the 43-year-old was friends with a prominent local gang member and had received money to promote the latter's business. Backlash came swiftly, as social media users demanded that Cho Sae-ho be removed from the popular shows he hosted, You Quiz on the Block and Two Days and One Night. On Tuesday, Cho Sae-ho's agency announced that he would leave the shows - though it denied his links to the gang's business activities.

Cho Jin-woong's case has generated the most debate; the seasoned actor announced his retirement after facing allegations of robbery and sexual assault as a teenager in the 1990s.

The allegations faced by Cho Jin-woong have stirred heated debate about how much forgiveness public figures should receive for past mistakes. There is an ongoing discussion about whether celebrities should be held accountable for actions from their youth, and this case is no different.

Culture critic Kim Sung-soo notes that celebrities are often viewed as easy targets due to their reliance on public favor, leading audiences to demand accountability.

As public scrutiny intensifies, many observers are calling for a reconsideration of how society views celebrity culture, expressing fatigue over the ongoing cycle of cancel culture.