Was ‘Dog President’ fake… Kang Hyung-wook, controversy over gaslighting and revealing workplace harassment

[OSEN=Yeon Hwiseon Reporter] “I do not recommend this company.” Kang Hyeong-uk, a dog trainer who has been receiving warm love as the ‘Presidential Dog,’ is engulfed in controversy over gaslighting towards employees at the company operated by him and his wife.

Recently, criticisms from former employees about Kang Hyeong-uk and his wife’s company, Bodum Company, have spread through online communities and social media. It is known that on a job search site where users leave honest reviews about company life and rate companies, Bodum Company received a low rating of only 1.7 out of 5, with harsh reviews abundant.

Among the criticisms, phrases such as low salary, gaslighting, and workplace bullying were frequently mentioned. In particular, considering that Kang Hyeong-uk is actively loved as the ‘Presidential Dog’ through various TV appearances, the revelations about gaslighting and mistreatment of employees have drawn attention.

Among these criticisms, the user who gave the lowest rating to Kang Hyeong-uk and his wife’s company, Bodum Company, stated, “I quit and continued counseling.” They appealed about damages such as panic disorder and depression, stating, “Continuous gaslighting, personal insults, demands outside of work, etc., exhausted my mental health.” They claimed that Kang Hyeong-uk and his wife monitored messengers without employees’ consent, confirmed that there were no disparaging remarks made about them, and even forced employees to write consent forms regarding this, resorting to threats.

Additionally, in many other reviews, criticisms like “subtle gaslighting,” “not treating employees with respect,” and “being able to see dogs is an advantage but can receive treatment worse than dogs” emerged. Some even speculated that Bodum Company may be on the verge of closing down due to discord with employees. Indeed, the official Bodum Company SNS has not posted new content since December 12 of last year.

Regarding this, Kang Hyeong-uk has not provided any clarification or statement. As of the 18th, there have been no new posts on his personal SNS or his YouTube channel ‘Kang Hyeong-uk’s Bodum TV.’ Some netizens in the comments section of ‘Bodum TV’ YouTube community board have mentioned the former employees’ criticisms, demanding an explanation from Kang Hyeong-uk. However, as of the morning of the 19th, no new response has appeared.

Kang Hyeong-uk, who gained fame as a dog trainer, appeared in several dog-related programs such as EBS’s ‘There Are No Bad Dogs in the World’ and KBS 2TV’s entertainment show ‘Dogs are Great,’ receiving great attention and praise to the extent of being called the ‘Presidential Dog.’ He operates Bodum Company with his wife, selling products related to dog training programs and creating related content. / [email protected]

[Photo] OSEN DB, Source: YouTube.