Entertainment · Celebrity · 1 hr ago
Former employees allege excessive hours and poor conditions at kids creator’s company
Two people who say they worked at Kidsworks, the company run by South Korean creator HeyJini, have posted allegations about its workplace.
One former employee said they joined in 2016 to work on a Chinese-language channel but handled its operations largely alone.
They claimed they earned 20 million won a year and sometimes worked up to 16 hours a day without overtime pay.
The employee said the workload harmed their health, and that their condition was recognized as work-related in 2020.
A second person, also identifying as a former employee, alleged unpaid time off for weekend work, excessive overtime and pressure not to quit.
HeyJini’s side has not issued a response, and the allegations have not been independently confirmed in the reports.
The claims have drawn attention to working conditions at a company linked to a creator with more than four million subscribers.
Former employees have alleged excessive working hours and poor conditions at Kidsworks, the company operated by children’s creator Hey Jini.
One former employee said they earned 20 million won a year while sometimes working up to 16 hours a day.
The employee said the workload harmed their health and that they were recognized as having an occupational injury in 2020.
A second person identifying as a former employee alleged unpaid time off for weekend and holiday work, unlimited overtime and pressure not to resign.
Hey Jini’s side had not issued a statement in the reports.
- Who
- Former employees of Kidsworks, the company operated by children’s creator Hey Jini, whose real name is Kang Hye-jin.
- What
- They alleged excessive hours and poor working conditions. Hey Jini’s side had not responded in the reports.
- When
- The first employee said they joined in December 2016. The allegations were reported on October 26 and 27, 2026.
- Where
- Kidsworks. The sources do not state the company’s location.
- Why
- The former employees said they wanted to describe their working conditions and, in one case, the process of seeking recognition of an occupational injury.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The first employee said they joined after being offered work as a creator for a Chinese-language channel.
The first employee said they were recognized as having an occupational injury after a process lasting about a year.
The first employee said they attempted suicide.
News1 reported allegations that the employee had earned 20 million won a year while working up to 16 hours a day.
Yonhap News TV reported that a second person identifying as a former employee made additional allegations.
- Company
- Kidsworks
- Creator
- Hey Jini, whose real name is Kang Hye-jin
- First employee’s starting annual salary
- 20 million won
- Reported daily working hours
- Up to 16 hours
- Occupational injury recognition
- January 2020 according to the employee’s account in Yonhap News TV
3 sources
What people are saying
I started at an annual salary of 20 million won, which was raised to 21 million won midway, but I worked at the company for nearly two years without receiving overtime pay. My working hours reached 16 hours a day.
This is still pain that has not ended for me, but what was shown on air was so different from the reality I experienced.
I also experienced no compensatory time off for weekend and holiday work, unlimited overtime through the misuse of an inclusive wage system, refusal to let me resign, and persistent gaslighting.