A wave of scandals has engulfed three major stars in South Korea’s entertainment industry, threatening to upend careers built over years and reigniting debate over the country’s unforgiving “cancel culture.”
In a matter of days, comedian Park Na-rae, fellow comedian Cho Sae-ho, and veteran actor Cho Jin-woong made headlines for starkly different allegations—ranging from workplace abuse and a juvenile detention record to associations with an alleged gang member. Despite the varied accusations, the outcome has been strikingly uniform: all three have vanished from the television screens where they had become household names.
The swift, severe fallout has intensified public scrutiny over the standards to which South Korean celebrities are held and the often-permanent consequences of public condemnation in the country’s hyper-connected digital landscape.
By James Kisoo
