YouTuber Wonji Loses 1 Million Subscribers Amidst Employee Mistreatment Controversy; Gold Play Button Safe?

YouTuber Wonji (real name Lee Won-ji) has seen her channel subscriber count drop below the 1 million mark following recent controversies over alleged employee mistreatment.

According to analytics site Social Blade, Wonji's YouTube channel, 'Wonji's Day,' has lost 21,000 subscribers in the past month, bringing the current total to 998,000.

The controversy began on March 20th when Wonji revealed her new team office, a cramped, windowless space of approximately 6 pyeong (around 20 square meters) located in a basement, where three employees were shown working.

This sparked widespread criticism, as Wonji had previously expressed strong negative opinions about confined spaces and the situation seemed contrary to her stated values and spending habits.

Despite Wonji's attempts to clarify and apologize, stating, "I am taking the criticism from many people seriously. As this is a space where employees spend their daily working hours, I should have prioritized their working environment and welfare above all else, but as an employer, my consideration and thought process were severely lacking," the subscriber exodus continued.

Following the initial video, 10,000 subscribers left, with another 10,000 departing within four days. Recently, an additional 2,000 unsubscribed, leading to the loss of her 1 million subscriber milestone.

However, according to YouTube's policies, the Gold Play Button, awarded for reaching 1 million subscribers, does not need to be returned due to a subsequent decrease in subscribers. It is awarded to commemorate the achievement of 1 million subscribers and remains the creator's property unless falsely obtained or the channel is permanently suspended for guideline violations.

Netizens reacted with comments like "Serves her right for not apologizing sooner," "Her apology was just words," and "This is the natural consequence." Many also discussed the Gold Play Button, with remarks such as "So she gets to keep the Gold Button?" and "Her image took a huge hit over one video."