Kagwang, a YouTuber with about 470,000 subscribers, has denied allegations that he abused a female cast member.
Claims have spread recently across online communities and social media that Kagwang and some associates subjected a vulnerable woman to humiliation and mistreatment over several months under the guise of producing content.
A person identified only as A, who said they were acting as the woman's attorney, said the woman had been recovering from artificial hip replacement surgery when her crutches were broken during filming in Thailand. The attorney said she was also subjected to restricted meals, sleep deprivation and forced drinking, allegedly tied to viewer donations.
A said the woman was prevented from leaving even after expressing a wish to go home, and alleged financial exploitation — including the taking of more than 10 million won ($7,550) under the pretense of broadcast appearances and viewer donations.
A said they had requested emergency protection from the South Korean Embassy in Thailand to remove the woman from the situation, and planned to file complaints against those involved on charges including abuse, coercion, unlawful confinement and assault upon her return to South Korea.
However, the embassy's actions and whether any complaint has been formally filed have not been independently confirmed through official investigative channels.
Kagwang posted a lengthy statement Saturday saying he was "fully rebutting the current controversy," then released a video Sunday titled "A clarification regarding the controversy over the woman with an intellectual disability."
He said the woman had participated in the broadcasts voluntarily, had signed a contract beforehand and had agreed to the penalty rules and revenue-sharing arrangement.
He also said the woman had no history of being diagnosed with an intellectual disability, and said that he and other cast members had themselves been harmed during filming.
Kagwang apologized for not being more careful about the provocative nature of the content and promised to improve, but denied the abuse allegations.
min3654@heraldcorp.com
