Celebrity Scandals Spark Renewed Debate on South Korea's Cancel Culture

Thu Dec 11 2025 11:05:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Recent scandals involving famous South Korean entertainers raise questions about the country's cancel culture as public figures face serious allegations and their careers hang in the balance.

A wave of controversies has hit South Korea's entertainment industry, leading to the departures of several prominent figures, including comedians Park Na-rae and Cho Sae-ho, and actor Cho Jin-woong. Allegations ranging from workplace abuse to past criminal behavior have ignited discussions on the standards of conduct expected from public figures and the implications of cancel culture. As their careers face uncertainty, the nation reflects on how celebrities are judged for past actions and the broader societal impact of cancellations.

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.

What are the scandals about?

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 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 variety shows he hosted, prompting his announcement to leave those programs.

The downfall that has generated the most debate comes from veteran actor Cho Jin-woong, who announced his retirement from acting amid allegations of robbery and sexual assault as a teen. His agency confirmed wrongdoing in his youth but denied sexual assault allegations.

A debate over cancel culture

The allegations facing Cho Jin-woong have stirred heated debate regarding how much public figures should be forgiven for past mistakes. Critics argue that seeing his image on screen could retraumatize his past victims, while others question the need for him to retire.

More broadly, recent celebrity scandals have raised bigger questions about the standards held for celebrities in South Korea. Culture critic Kim Sung-soo notes that celebrities are easy targets due to their careers being dependent on their public image, with audiences wanting to correct perceived unacceptable behavior.

Now, as high-profile figures promise to reflect on their actions, the public is also being urged to rethink how celebrities are treated in a culture of cancelation.