Hey everyone! So, some pretty shocking news has been dominating the entertainment world here in Seoul, and it involves a celebrity you’ve probably seen if you watch Korean variety shows: the hilarious Park Na-rae from ‘I Live Alone’. It’s a complicated story, but it all boils down to why a seemingly innocent joke has been scrubbed from the internet.
The Joke That Vanished
Okay, so let’s set the scene. On a past episode of ‘I Live Alone’ from December of last year, Na-rae and singer Jung Jae-hyung were totally exhausted after spending hours making a whopping 80 heads of kimchi. Wiped out, Jung Jae-hyung jokes, “I should book an IV drip when you make the reservation tomorrow.” Na-rae plays along and replies, “Yes, let’s book the IV drip together.” At the time, everyone just laughed it off as a relatable joke about being super tired. But just a couple of days ago, on December 9th, people noticed that the official YouTube clips of this scene were suddenly made private by the network, MBC. And that’s because the comment now hits a little too close to home.
The Real Reason It’s a Big Deal: The “Injection Auntie” Scandal
So why is a simple joke about an IV drip causing such a storm? It’s because Park Na-rae is currently facing very serious allegations of receiving illegal medical treatments. The controversy started when her former managers came forward with claims of workplace mistreatment. But during that investigation, an even bigger accusation emerged: that Na-rae has been repeatedly receiving IV drips and even prescriptions from an unlicensed individual known as the “Jusa Imo,” which literally means “Injection Auntie.”
This “Injection Auntie” allegedly administered treatments at Na-rae’s home, in her car, and even on overseas shoots, all without a proper South Korean medical license. Medical associations have gotten involved, stating this is a clear violation of the Medical Service Act and are calling for a thorough investigation, especially since some of the alleged prescriptions involve controlled substances.
Park Na-rae Hits Pause on Her Career
With the controversy spiraling, Park Na-rae made a huge announcement on December 8th. She stated that she can’t cause any more trouble for her colleagues and programs and has decided to suspend all of her broadcasting activities until the situation is resolved. This means she’s leaving ‘I Live Alone’, a show she’s been a key member of for nine years. This is a huge blow for the show, especially for fans of the “Palm Oil Trio” (팜유라인) — Na-rae, Jun Hyun-moo, and Lee Jang-woo — who were famous for their foodie adventures. With Lee Jang-woo also recently leaving the show after getting married, it’s pretty much the end of an era for them.
It’s a really messy and unfortunate situation. What was once a funny, throwaway line in a beloved TV show has now become a piece of evidence in a much larger scandal. We’ll have to wait and see how the official investigations play out!
