South Korean children’s creator Hee Jinny faces renewed labor exploitation allegations after a recorded phone call with a former employee was released on October 27, Sports Chosun reported.
Entertainment YouTuber Lee Jin-ho released the recording on his channel. It centers on a dispute with a former employee identified only as A, described as Hee Jinny’s longtime friend. Hee Jinny is a children’s creator with 4.13 million subscribers.
In the reported call, Hee Jinny asks about A’s health. A says it is not good, her depression has worsened and she takes more medication. A then asks whether Hee Jinny knew a doctor said travel could help her, yet still allowed an opinion letter suggesting frequent overseas travel cast doubt on whether she was really ill. Hee Jinny answers yes, and A ends the call.
A says she joined in April 2017, when Hee Jinny was preparing a new company, to create a Chinese-language channel. Instead, she handled production, translation and dubbing, and went unpaid from April to July 2017.
She claims she earned under 20 million won a year, worked up to 16 hours a day including holidays, and was refused extra staff. In November 2018, she says, breathing difficulties during overtime sent her to an emergency room, where she was later diagnosed with panic disorder and depression.
After treatment and leave, A left the company, and her industrial accident application became the dispute’s focus. She claims Hee Jinny offered 4 million won instead of a claim, while the company filed an opinion letter questioning the work-illness link.
Hee Jinny’s side, as relayed, says the company tried to look after A, cannot decide recognition, and offered compensation A rejected. It also viewed A’s unauthorised collection of employee statements as a breach of trust; A calls that a legitimate step for her application.
Lee says the accident was ultimately recognized, with A receiving about 45 million won over roughly two years for medical costs and lost wages. The report notes recognition alone does not prove bullying or a labor law violation.
