Chapter 73
“The second thing I want to talk to you all about is the issue of wrongful termination.”
-Real LOL, I was curious.
-But can this really be considered wrongful termination?
-If it were truly a Mutual Contract Termination, then it wouldn't be wrongful termination.
-We'd need to see the contract to know for sure.
The chat was definitely much cleaner than when it first started.
While some of the Agitators who swarmed in from Bluebird had been swept away by bans, more importantly, Hyeji's wording that had just been revealed was so shocking.
Even if a small minority tried to cause trouble, it was drowned out by the vast majority of normal Users.
“To get straight to the point, this contract termination is not a wrongful termination. The first reason is that the contract with Artist SONYA was merely an external outsourcing contract, not a formal employment contract.”
Then, he held up another finger and continued.
“Second, before the Mutual Contract Termination, the Artist had already received the contract fee.
-So if they paid for the art and then discarded it, didn't Enson just lose money?
-*Kyah*, I knew it! LOL
-Real LOL, do they think a Director who only cares about Users is a pushover? LOL
-*This is it*! LOL
“Therefore, if our investigation concludes that Artist SONYA intentionally omitted the fact that she received payment, we may initiate legal proceedings. We ask for your understanding in this matter.”
-Good riddance! LOL
-Even a refreshing *cider* at the end! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
-*As long as it's not meeeeee*~
-Honestly, isn't legal action a bit much for this?
-SONYA's gay ass is here, LOL
The chat exploded with cheers, as if it were raising a toast to the sudden declaration of a lawsuit.
Watching the chat, I swallowed a sigh of regret.
The legal proceedings I just mentioned were half bluff, half bravado.
As a result of consulting with the Legal Team about this contract before the Live Broadcast,
I was told that there was almost no legal way to punish Hyeji.
Not only was it difficult to find evidence that Hyeji intentionally omitted matters related to the contract fee while drafting the Publicization document,
but even if found, the Legal Team's lawyers judged that it wouldn't lead to actual punishment.
Despite knowing this, the reason I specifically mentioned legal punishment was to make her meet the Users directly and apologize.
Anyway, if it went to legal punishment, it would at best be defamation or obstruction of business...
Even if a fine were issued, it clearly wouldn't have much impact on Hyeji.
Despite the various drawbacks of Misandry, she was fundamentally a popular illustrator.
My thought was that rather than a fine that wouldn't have much effect, having her post an apology would be a greater punishment given Hyeji's personality.
Of course, if she didn't fall for the bluff... I would genuinely attempt legal punishment.
***
[Nickname: Anonymous][Title: Let's do a Public Sentiment Test at this point]
【Interview photo of Ji Hojin, glowing with a halo】
Ji Hojin << If this *bastard* is practically the God of Operations, hit recommend LOL
[Comment List][Newest]
-Real LOL LOL
-Wow, I never imagined they'd hand out rewards even in today's broadcast.
-The declaration of a lawsuit was surprising, but he's just the GOAT for giving out rewards from the ALL roulette until Users' bellies burst because they worked hard
[Nickname: Anonymous]
[Title: The reason Bluebird is in an uproar right now...JPG]
【A screenshot of a Bluebird keyword search for Reverse Arcadia】
Even these Bluebird folks were initially caught by the publicization and were all about criticizing, but after watching the broadcast, they split into two.
The Extreme *Radical feminist bitches* are still out of their minds, trashing our game,
but conversely, the ones with at least some sound judgment are all deleting their messages or not bringing up the topic at all.
If it had been a controversy simply over supporting a specific site, like the Nita Voice Actor Incident, last time, they would have had something to say from their perspective,
but in this SONYA case, the misandrist wording itself is so *fucking* vulgar that most of them are cutting ties.
[Comment List][Newest]
-LOL, the *bitches* who shield such *fucked-up* wording aren't even human *bastards*.
-What's their ratio?
L The ones cutting ties are about 8, the *radicals* are about 2.
-*Fucked-up bitches* LOL
[Nickname: Ri-gaeler]
[Title: A Tip for Evading a lawsuit against “that Illustrator” currently lurking on Ri-gael...Tip]
【Image of a Famous MC, a former Ssireum wrestler, spreading his arms wide and saying, *'As long as it's not meeeeee~'*】
As if there's such a thing! LOLOLOLOLOLOL
Go draw something to at least get some settlement money, *you fool* LOLOLOLOLOLOL
[Comment List][Newest]
-LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
-*As long as it's not meeeeee*~
-*Kkeo-eok*
-*Fucking* refreshing, seriously LOL
Hyeji, who had clicked on the post out of a faint hope, even though she knew this would happen, slammed her fist down on the keyboard.
CRASH!
*“Ah, fuck...!”*
A dull pain throbbed from the fist that had struck the keyboard.
The pain was more intense than she had imagined, and Hyeji could only clutch her fist and groan.
*“What the hell... why is everyone doing this to me...?”*
She hadn't had misandrist tendencies from the start.
Her life as a Freelance Illustrator began at the recommendation of an *unnie* she became close with in an Original Character Community.
Thanks to the introduction from the *unnie* who guided her, Hyeji was able to adapt relatively easily to Bluebird as well.
The problem was that the *unnie* who guided Hyeji had strong Misandrist tendencies and was a Feminist.
and Hyeji, who was close to her *unnie*, also developed Feminist tendencies.
Of course, even so, it was entirely her choice to engage in misandrist remarks and endorse hate ideology.
Hyeji picked up her Smartphone, thinking she had to do something.
The person she called was none other than her *unnie*, Moon Seongyeon, who had led her down the path of Bluebird and Feminism.
This time, the publicization to *take down* Reverse Arcadia was also at Seongyeon's suggestion.
She intended to discuss future countermeasures with Seongyeon as soon as possible.
However, what greeted Hyeji was not Seongyeon's familiar voice, but only a recorded voice stating that she was being connected to voicemail.
*“What is this...?”*
At first, she just thought Seongyeon was busy and couldn't answer.
But as the voice repeatedly said she was being connected to voicemail, a sense of unease began to well up in Hyeji's heart.
*“No, no way...?”*
[You are being connected to voicemail.]
[Connecting to voicemail...]
*“Answer the phone...”*
[To voicemail...]
*“Answer the phone, you bitch!”*
In that moment, with rising anger and betrayal, she was about to throw her smartphone, but ultimately, she timidly tossed it onto the mattress and stared at the monitor with a gloomy gaze.
‘Right, she must be too busy to answer the phone, so I'll contact her on Bluebird...’
Hyeji tried to ignore the growing anxiety in her heart, logged into Bluebird, and went to Seongyeon's Account page.
But what greeted her was not Seongyeon's familiar Bluebird Profile screen.
[You Blocked @SY_POCKETT]
It was the end of a friendship thinly bound by the commonalities of Feminism and Misandry.
***
Two days after the Emergency Live Broadcast.
I received a call from SONYA, or rather, Artist Hyeji.
When she didn't call the day after the Live Broadcast, I thought my bluff had failed.
But the day after that, Hyeji contacted us with a noticeably subdued voice.
To hear what had happened and how the publicization came about, I made an appointment with her,
On the day of the appointment, when I met her with the lawyer from the Legal Team, she looked completely different from the image I had in my mind.
She had a youthful appearance befitting someone in her early 20s, an ordinary-looking face, and even ordinary clothing.
Though she looked haggard, she was the epitome of ordinariness, making it impossible to imagine her as the monster who spewed hatred towards men.
It seemed I wasn't the only one who felt this way, as the Legal Team Lawyer sitting next to me also cleared his throat.
“Excuse me, Hyeji-ssi?”
“Yes, yes...?”
“Before we begin, you understand why we scheduled this interview with you, Hyeji-ssi, don't you?”
“O-of course...”
Hyeji's demeanor was noticeably subdued, unlike her confident self from before.
It was the complete opposite of how she had boldly declared she would publicize everything to me before.
Seeing her, the Legal Team Lawyer asked Hyeji first.
“First, let's get straight to the point. Hyeji-ssi, do you acknowledge that you mutually agreed to terminate the Freelance Contract with our company in June 2015?”
“...Yes. I acknowledge it.”
“Then, do you also acknowledge that the contract fee stipulated in the contract was paid in full before the contract termination?”
“...I acknowledge it.”
“Understood. Then, Director Ji Hojin, please continue.”
“Ah, thank you. Hyeji-ssi. Since things have come to this, I'd like you to speak honestly.”
Even though I was angry inside, I spoke in a gentle voice, and Hyeji nodded quietly with a frightened expression.
“You clearly agreed to an agreement back then, so why did you proceed with the publicization at the current point in time, months later?”
“Th-that...”
“Don't try to deceive us; you must tell us exactly what happened if you want any leniency.”
“I-I wasn't trying to deceive you, it's just... the story might be a bit long, is that alright?”
“It's fine. Please speak comfortably.”
At those words, Hyeji nodded and began to recount the events that had transpired.
She knew everything about the *unnie*, “Moon Seongyeon”.
And the publicization process, and even the story of being cut off by her acquaintances.
After hearing everything, my first thought was, *'She still hasn't come to her senses.'*
“Hyeji-ssi, you said you made the exposé due to manipulation, but can you truly be certain that you had absolutely no will of your own in the publicization?”
“...No.”
“Then you weren't manipulated into making the exposé. If you ultimately chose to publicize it, doesn't that make you at least an accomplice?”
“...Th-that’s...”
“If you were truly manipulated by that *unnie* into starting Misandry, then why didn't you stop even after your congratulatory illustration was discarded?”
“...”
“If you had at least contacted us to apologize right after the Live Broadcast, we might have felt some sincerity, but there was none of that, was there?”
“I-I’m sorry...”
Hyeji apologized and shed tears under the continuous interrogation.
But I felt no pity at all watching her, from my perspective.
All I could think was that those tears were nothing but crocodile tears.
I looked at the sniffling Hyeji without emotion and opened my mouth.
“First, Hyeji-ssi, I will give you two options.”
“Options...?”
“Yes. The first is to reject our proposal and enter into a legal dispute. If you choose this, we will immediately file a complaint this afternoon.”
At the mention of a lawsuit, Hyeji's face suddenly darkened.
“And the second is to post an apology on your Bluebird Account, including the fact that there were no issues with the contract and an apology for your past words and deeds of engaging in misandry, and then reflect on your actions.”
“...Th-that’s really all it takes?”
“Yes, but you must clearly apologize for the Misandry, and you must definitively distance yourself from the Misandrist group you associated with, Hyeji-ssi.”
Hyeji's expression visibly relaxed, as if the conditions were much easier than she had expected, and she nodded.
“I-I’ll do that.”
It was obvious what Hyeji was thinking from her relieved expression, but I pretended not to notice.
This punishment was not as lenient as she imagined.
***
The day after reaching an agreement with Hyeji.
All content related to the publicization was deleted from Hyeji's Bluebird Account, and a lengthy apology was posted.
[SONYA@I'm sorry...] @Sonya_385
Hello. I am a freelance illustrator SONYA (Choi Hyeji).
A few days ago, I wrote an exposé post regarding the congratulatory illustration for the Reverse Arcadia Korean Server launch.
...
Furthermore, I sincerely apologize to all men in the Republic of Korea who were hurt by my numerous past controversies involving misandrist remarks.
My past misandrist remarks, based on Feminism, were all due to my immaturity and ignorance.
Currently, I do not agree with such a wrong ideology at all, and I explicitly oppose the hatred or animosity towards all men advocated by some extremists.
Once again, I sincerely apologize to the Reverse Arcadia Users and the men of the Republic of Korea who experienced discomfort because of me.
I am sorry.
January 18, 2016
Choi Hyeji.