Song Ji-eun and Park Wi close comment sections amid KTX controversy

Creator Park Wi has restricted the comment function on his personal SNS posts amid ongoing controversy surrounding the release of CCTV footage of a recent KTX accident. As his wife, singer Song Ji-eun, had also previously closed her comment sections, attention is focused on why the couple is successively blocking direct communication with the public.

As of the 25th, Park Wi's SNS posts display a notice stating, 'Comment functionality for this post has been restricted.' It is also known that Song Ji-eun recently restricted her comment functions as well. While the two have not disclosed specific reasons, the move is being interpreted as related to the controversy Park Wi is currently facing regarding the KTX accident.

The controversy began when Park Wi released CCTV footage on his YouTube channel 'Weracle' on the 21st. Park explained that he experienced a fall while getting off a KTX train in a wheelchair during a lecture on the 14th, and subsequently released the CCTV footage from inside the station.

The video captured the moment Park fell forward as a wheelchair wheel got caught in the foot of a social service agent who was assisting him. Park explained that he released the video with the intention of emphasizing the need for safety training during the mobility support process for people with disabilities to prevent recurrence.

While he acknowledged that the worker did not cause the accident intentionally, he stated, "It made me angry that his foot was placed on the ramp." His intention was to raise public awareness regarding safety accidents that can occur during the mobility process of people with disabilities and to prevent similar incidents.

However, after the video was released, public opinion shifted in an unexpected direction. Since the video included the moment the social service agent apologized to Park immediately after the accident, criticism arose regarding whether it was appropriate to release CCTV footage containing an individual's mistake and apology through a public platform.

In particular, the controversy grew as the individual appearing in the footage could become a target of online criticism against their will. Critics pointed out that raising a public interest issue regarding the safety of people with disabilities is a separate matter from exposing the actions of a specific individual to public scrutiny.

Ultimately, Park deleted the video. He subsequently reflected on his judgment and apologized, saying, "I did not consider the position of the worker who was doing his best to help me and apologized politely." He further stated that he had not sufficiently considered the repercussions of releasing the video.

However, the controversy did not subside even after the apology. Approximately 30,000 comments were posted on the apology note, and a significant number of critical comments continued on previous posts. The center of the debate shifted from the original issue of 'mobility rights and safety for the disabled' to the appropriateness of releasing CCTV footage and the protection of the parties involved.

The online backlash also affected the YouTube channel operated by Park. The subscriber count for 'Weracle,' which had exceeded 1 million, was recorded at approximately 981,000 as of the 25th, showing a declining trend. As scheduled lectures and talk concert schedules were also canceled in succession, the controversy appears to be spreading to his overall professional activities.

Park is an individual who has actively embraced his disability as part of his identity. He suffered a fall from a building in 2014, resulting in significant cervical spine damage, and underwent rehabilitation after being diagnosed with quadriplegia. Since then, he has expanded his work as a YouTube creator and lecturer by producing content regarding his daily life, rehabilitation, and the lives of people with disabilities.

The 'Weracle' channel grew by sharing the process of overcoming disabilities and daily experiences with the public. By speaking actively about the daily lives and social issues of people with disabilities—rather than treating disability merely as an object of sympathy—Park has secured significant public influence.

In 2024, public interest grew even further when he married Song Ji-eun, a former member of the group Secret. The two received widespread support for sharing their journey of dating and marriage despite their different physical conditions, and Park has naturally shared stories of disability, love, and family through his content.

Consequently, this controversy extends beyond a single YouTube video, intersecting with the direction of the content Park has built. The intention to raise social issues regarding the safety and mobility rights of people with disabilities is a separate matter from how the privacy and rights of a third party should be protected during that process.

The restriction of comment sections can be seen as a choice by the couple to distance themselves from direct online public opinion as the debate prolongs. Given that SNS comments can serve as a conduit for excessive personal attacks, the move by Park and Song may be a measure to manage their daily lives and psychological burden amidst the spreading controversy.

However, the exact reasons for the couple restricting their comment functions have not been officially disclosed. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude definitively that this is a direct response to the KTX controversy.

While this incident raised social awareness regarding the mobility rights and safety of people with disabilities, it also leaves questions regarding how public interest issues should be raised. A key issue has emerged regarding the extent to which the rights and privacy of individuals appearing in videos must be considered, even when reporting for the public good.

Following Park's deletion of the video and his apology, the controversy is expected to enter a phase of reflection rather than direct confrontation for the time being.