Yeo Esther considers company sale after husband film post sparks backlash

Doctor and entrepreneur Yeo Esther faced intense online backlash and company disruptions following her husband Hong Hye-geol’s public criticism of a historical film, sportschosun.com reported on October 9.

Film Criticism Sparks Online Backlash Against Company Channels

The fallout began after Hong published a critical post on his social media account addressing the movie Assassin(s), a film drawing inspiration from the shooting incident of former First Lady Yuk Young-soo. Hong wrote that the film felt uncomfortable and questioned whether it was right to mock a deceased figure respected by half the population using forced conspiracy theories while surviving relatives are still alive. The remarks quickly drew public scrutiny, which soon spread beyond personal social media spaces.

The ensuing criticism severely disrupted operations at the company run by Yeo. According to her statements on the October 9 episode of her YouTube channel, Yeo Esther’s Esther TV, titled Yeo Esther Hong Hye-geol Separation Crisis (Written Pledge, Resignation Declaration, Allowance Cut), internet users flooded the company’s online boards with malicious comments. Employees spent their working hours deleting the negative posts instead of handling regular business tasks.

Yeo Considers Company Sale Amid Marital and Business Strain

Yeo recounted that she felt a sense of foreboding the day before the controversy erupted and explicitly warned Hong to exercise caution on Facebook. Despite the warning, she received continuous text messages apologizing the next morning as the internet uproar intensified. Frustrated by the ordeal, Yeo engaged in a heavy discussion with her husband regarding the impact of his social media posts on her business.

Reflecting on the pressure faced by her husband to curb his writing, Yeo questioned whether a writer should have to suppress his voice simply because she runs a business. She stated she initially considered declaring that she would stop earning money altogether. Hong described that moment differently during the broadcast, noting that his wife’s conclusion skewed toward selling the company rather than simply halting her revenue generation.

Pledges to Restrict Political Commentary and Future Steps

Following the multi-day dispute, Hong initially agreed to delete his Facebook account before shifting his position to limit future posts strictly to medical and cultural topics while avoiding social and political commentary. He acknowledged that his actions placed an unfair burden on the office staff.

I think I shouldn’t make the employees have a hard time. Because there are various thoughts of many people, emphasizing only one side too much is also an irresponsible action for a person whose face is known, and anyway, I reflect.

Hong Hye-geol

Yeo maintained that if similar controversies recur and continue to harm the business environment, she will resign from her position to focus on supporting her husband from home, sparing her employees further embarrassment.