YouTuber Park Wi loses over 70,000 subscribers amid KTX accident controversy

YouTuber Park Wi has seen his 'WERACLE' subscriber count drop to the 936,000 range following criticism over CCTV footage of a KTX accident. The creator, who stepped down as an honorary ambassador in late August, has also set approximately 20 videos to private since the controversy began.

YouTuber Park Wi is struggling to escape the aftermath of a controversy sparked by his release of CCTV footage showing a fall during a KTX accident. Following the incident, videos have been disappearing from his channel in succession, and his subscriber count, which once neared 1 million, has dropped to the 930,000 range. While the channel previously earned public support by sharing his experiences overcoming a disability and his daily life, the way he handled the accident footage has drawn cold public scrutiny.

According to the YouTube statistics site Social Blade on the 20th, one video was set to private on the 'WERACLE' channel on the 15th, and two more were set to private on the 16th. The number of public videos, which stood at 798 during the height of the controversy, has decreased to 778 as of this day. This means approximately 20 videos have disappeared from the public list within about a month. However, the specific reasons for these videos being set to private and whether they will be made public again have not been confirmed.

The reorganization of videos began immediately after the controversy. Following the deletion of a video titled "The reason for releasing the CCTV footage" which contained his position on the accident, Park Wi removed an additional 13 videos from the public list within a week. It is reported that these included content of a social experiment nature that dealt with the mobility rights of people with disabilities and daily inconveniences. As even the core content of the channel has become invisible in succession, attention is focused on the background of these actions.

The decline in subscribers is also notable. The subscriber count for 'WERACLE', which once approached 1 million, has fallen to the 936,000 range as of this day, representing a loss of more than 70,000 subscribers. While the change in subscriber numbers alone cannot definitively determine the reason for the exodus, it is being accepted as an indicator that public opinion surrounding the channel has shifted since the controversy.

The controversy arose after Park Wi released CCTV footage of an accident in August, in which he fell while descending a disembarkation ramp on a KTX. The footage captured the moment he fell as a wheelchair wheel got caught on the foot of a social service agent who was assisting him. At the time, Park Wi stated, "I was so angry that his foot was placed on the ramp itself," adding, "He politely said he was sorry, but in that moment, I could not accept it."

However, as the video spread, criticism intensified. Points were raised regarding whether it was appropriate to publicly call out the mistake of a worker who had already apologized on-site through a large channel with nearly 1 million subscribers. In particular, as it became known that the scene of the worker apologizing was omitted from the video, the debate grew over whether the method of conveying the situation at the time of the accident was fair. Questions were raised whether, beyond the problem of the accident itself, he had sufficiently considered the other party's position and the impact of releasing the video.

As criticism spread, Park Wi deleted the video and apologized. He stated, "I did not think about the position of the worker, who did his best to help me and apologized politely." However, the controversy did not subside easily even after the apology. Complaints were repeatedly filed with the Seoul Metropolitan Government demanding the dismissal of Park Wi as an honorary ambassador, and Park Wi eventually stepped down from the position himself at the end of August.

Park Wi became well-known by sharing his rehabilitation process and daily life after being diagnosed with quadriplegia following a fall in 2014. He communicated with the public through content that changed perceptions of disabilities and raised awareness of mobility rights, and in 2024, he drew attention by marrying Song Ji-eun, a former member of the group Secret. The two also revealed their married life on SBS 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny'.

Because the channel grew with public support, the impact left by this controversy is not small. This is because the intention of raising awareness for the mobility rights and safety of people with disabilities can be evaluated separately from the appropriateness of the method used to release specific accident footage. As the private setting of videos and the decrease in subscribers continue, attention is focused on how Park Wi will manage this situation and restore trust with his viewers.

Read the original (Korean)