Author So Jae-won takes aim at Park Wi's high lecture fee: 'Don't become a merchant to the public'

Author So Jae-won has weighed in on the controversy surrounding YouTuber Park Wi's lecture fee.

On Wednesday, So wrote on his Instagram that he was surprised to learn Park Wi had charged 5 million won ($3,620) for a lecture. "Even I, who wrote four original novels adapted into films, a drama series script and its source novel, traveled the country for 500,000 won — that's a tenfold difference," he wrote.

He added that even that amount was not something he had sought. "Local governments, libraries and schools insisted on paying at least a small sum even when I said I didn't need it," he said.

So said he had long believed that the cover price printed in small type on the back of his books already included readers' right to ask him about his work and request a photo with him.

He then said that as he began appearing on broadcasts and taking on more speaking engagements, his lecture fees started to rise. "I insisted on giving lectures for free or asked that the money be donated, but organizers said they had to pay something — so from then on I accepted the minimum, 500,000 won," he wrote.

So said he felt guilty even about that, and so once or twice a year he would rent a venue himself and hold free meetings with readers who brought his books. "When bookstores or publishers organized events, they would charge readers a participation fee of between 1,000 and 10,000 won, and even that made me uncomfortable," he said.

"If you are a writer — if you truly value your pen — please do not become a merchant to the public who have made your humble work shine," So added.

Meanwhile, Park Wi had been embroiled in controversy after posting CCTV footage of a fall he suffered on a KTX train on his YouTube channel on Friday. After a wave of criticism that he had released the video despite having received an apology at the scene, Park took the video down and issued an apology.

So is the original author behind the films "Beastie Boys," "Wish," "Tunnel" and "Toxic," as well as the drama series "Goodbye to Goodbye."