The first trial for the former managers accused of attempting to extort hundreds of millions of won from broadcaster Park Na-rae was held at the Seoul Western District Court on September 29, 2026. The defense argument presented in court was an unexpected direct confrontation that went beyond public speculation.

The legal team for Shin, a former manager who was arrested and indicted, completely denied the charges of joint extortion. While they admitted to demanding approximately 250 million won—equivalent to 10% of the agency's revenue—they claimed this was not extortion but a request for "legitimate severance pay and incentives for past work." Shin and the others are accused of threatening to leak information regarding Park Na-rae's private life and allegations of misuse of company funds to the media.

Shin's side also distanced themselves from the charges of occupational embezzlement, which allege they siphoned company funds into personal accounts. While acknowledging some transfers, they refuted the claims, stating that the transfer of approximately 44 million won was done with Park Na-rae's consent. The conflict between the two parties escalated into a full-scale legal battle last December when the former managers filed a complaint against Park Na-rae for workplace harassment, leading her to file a countersuit.

The defense for the co-defendant, Lee, who was indicted without detention, will continue at the next trial scheduled for October 20. The dispute between former employees wielding the threat of exposing personal matters and the celebrity who labeled these actions as extortion will ultimately be determined by the specific evidence presented in court.

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