Park Wi, controversy over 15 million won lecture fee... Negative public opinion after KTX fall video released

After YouTuber Park Wi released CCTV footage of a KTX fall accident, controversy over his lecture fees continued as it was revealed that his fees for public institution events ranged from 10 million to 15 million KRW. According to the minutes of the Administrative and Finance Committee of Dongjak-gu, during the review of the 2025 budget proposal held last December, a representative of the Dongjak Cultural Foundation mentioned Park Wi’s case in response to a question about the 12 million KRW influencer instructor invitation fee, stating that he was charging ″10 million to over 15 million KRW.″ The lecture time was explained to be two hours at that time. Park Wi’s lecture fees varied by public institution. Geumsan County paid 5 million KRW for a special lecture contract with Park Wi in 2023, and the head of the Yongsan-gu Social Welfare Department stated at last year’s district council meeting that the cost of Park Wi’s lecture was about 6 million KRW. Bupyeong-gu signed a special lecture service contract with Wiracle Factory, where Park Wi is the representative, for 4,462,000 KRW this year and paid the full amount in May. The Gangnam Cultural Foundation contracted with Park Wi’s talk concert lecture planning agency for 9.35 million KRW on the 4th of this month, but the lecture was later canceled. Park Wi was also introduced as a speaker at the ’Dongjak Life Mic’ event held by Dongjak-gu. According to the Dongjak Cultural Foundation event guide and the Seoul Culture Portal on-site records, Park Wi was announced as a participating speaker at the Seoul Women’s Plaza Art Hall Bom on September 6. Regarding the KTX accident, Park Wi released CCTV footage on his YouTube channel on the 21st showing him falling while descending a portable ramp in a wheelchair. He claimed that the wheelchair wheel got caught on the foot of a social service worker who was securing the ramp. Park Wi stated that he released the video to improve the mobility environment for people with disabilities and to prevent recurrence, but criticism arose that it was excessive to release footage that allowed identification of the social service worker’s face and situation despite the worker’s prior apology. Subsequently, Park Wi made the video private and apologized.