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, local media reported - 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.
Other Scandals
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.
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.
The downfall that has generated the most debate comes from veteran actor Cho Jin-woong, who announced his departure from acting after allegations surfaced about his past involving robbery and sexual assault.
A Debate Over Cancel Culture
The allegations Cho Jin-woong faces have stirred heated debate about how much public figures should be forgiven for past mistakes. Some argue that his previous transgressions should not dictate the rest of his life, while others maintain that his presence on screen could be harmful to past victims.
The recent string of celebrity scandals raises broader questions about societal accountability and how public figures are treated in South Korea. Critics are calling for reflection on the tendency to 'cancel' those who face allegations, arguing for a more nuanced approach to dealing with past mistakes.
It's absurd that people mistake this recurring pattern of targeting celebrities online as a moral issue, one individual noted. I'm tired of this cancel-culture cycle, and I think it's time for our society to rethink online communities.
