Is the 'Manager Kim' Ilbe Controversy Real? A Comprehensive Summary of Allegations Against Original Webtoon Author Park Tae-joon!

The drama 'Manager Kim' became a massive hit, surpassing 20% ​​viewership ratings! But has the controversy surrounding original author Park Tae-joon's past Ilbe activities resurfaced? We provide a light yet concise summary covering everything from controversial allegations like "5 minutes 23 seconds" in *Lookism*, "Rock Owling," and "Hahaha" in *Diary of Desire*, to movements to boycott the drama!

 

1. 'Manager Kim' Surpasses 20% Ratings, But Why the Spark?

Right now, the small screen is truly experiencing a 'Manager Kim' syndrome. It has been really hard to find a drama with over 20% viewership on terrestrial TV since 2024, so hitting 21.6% in just four episodes says it all. The pace is incredible, and the catharsis from the action is amazing.

 

However, as the drama is doing well, the controversy was reignited recently when a YouTube channel took aim at past webtoon scenes by Park Tae-joon, the head of the original creator, The Gream Entertainment. Among some sensitive viewers, there is even talk of boycotting the drama.

2. The Beginning of the Controversy: Strange Numbers and Signboards in 'Lookism'

The biggest spark was a scene from Park Tae-joon's mega-hit, *Lookism*.

 

The secret of 5 minutes and 23 seconds? There is a scene in the webtoon where a character looks at a stopwatch and says, "5 minutes and 23 seconds." However, since the anniversary of the death of the late former President Roh Moo-hyun happens to be May 23rd, it has been pointed out that this evokes that memory. The question is why specifically "23 seconds" and not 5 minutes or 5 minutes and 30 seconds.

 

'Rock Owling' written in the background: What's even more chilling is that the shop sign in the background of that scene reads 'Rock Owling' in English. A literal translation would be 'Owl Rock.' The online community was thrown into an uproar, with people claiming it was an Ilbe-style code disparaging the site of former President Roh's passing.

3. Is it not over? The meal photo parody and the 'Hoo hoo hoo' controversy

It turns out the suspicions didn't end there. Netizens [regarding] past works We started digging deep, and a whole string of other suspicions came out.

 

Caricature of a gangster meal scene: In *Lookism*, there was a scene where gangsters were shown eating, and because the composition was so identical to a photo of former President Roh eating during his lifetime, it drew criticism that it was intended to mock him.

 

Webtoon Desire Diary's 'Hoohoohoo': In 2021, the webtoon *Diary of Desire*, produced by Park Tae-joon Comics, came under fire once again for using the onomatopoeia "Hwo-hwo-hwo," an Ilbe-style meme used to mock former President Moon Jae-in, exactly as it was.

4. Writer Park Tae-joon's Explanation and the Drama 'Chief Kim's' Sense of Injustice?

So what did author Park Tae-joon say? When the controversy first broke out in the past, the author denied it very strongly.

"It is absurd. Although I am an uneducated and flawed human being, I am neither the kind of person nor the courage to do such a thing with the deceased's photograph."

 

They genuinely felt they were being unfairly accused. And the drama *Chief Kim* itself has absolutely no direct connection to the Ilbe controversy!

 

It's not like such a scene appears in a drama, either. ...and even for the original webtoon, Park Tae-joon didn't personally handle the writing and art; he only served as the 'overall production manager (planner).' (The story, artwork, and direction were done by other artists!)

 

However, since it is a work that shares the massive worldview of the 'Park Tae-joon Universe,' it is difficult to be completely free from the public eye.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1. Does the drama *Chief Kim* also feature content related to Ilbe?
A. Not at all! The drama *Chief Kim* is a thrilling action drama that has absolutely no connection to the Ilbe controversy. The controversy stems from scenes in 'other past works' by Park Tae-joon, the executive producer of the original webtoon.

 

Q2. Did author Park Tae-joon admit to the Ilbe allegations?
A. No, I absolutely did not admit it. In a past interview, I expressed strong denial along with displeasure, stating, "I have neither the character nor the courage to do such a thing using the deceased's photos."

 

Q3. Did author Park Tae-joon draw the webtoon <Manager Kim> himself?
A. No! The story of the webtoon *Bu-jang Kim* was written by Toy, the artwork by Jung Jong-taek, and the direction by Gyaooo. Since Park Tae-joon was only in charge of overall production (planning and distribution), the prevailing opinion is that it is difficult to view the work itself as containing Ilbe codes.

 

 

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