How South Korean air steward at centre of heiress ‘nut rage’ incident ended up in politics

In 2014, Park Chang-jin was forced by Korean Air heiress Cho Hyun-ah to beg for forgiveness after pre-flight nuts were served in a bag instead of on a plate

The incident made international headlines and came to represent the entitlement of South Korea’s elite and the prevalence of workplace bullying

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Park Chang-jin, a former cabin crew member of Korean Air and now a member of South Korea’s left-wing Justice party. Photo: AFP

Published: 12:49pm, 24 Sep 2020Updated: 1:50pm, 24 Sep 2020

Former South Korean air steward Park Chang-jin never imagined a bag of macadamia nuts would lead him to a career in politics.

Park – now seeking the chair of South Korea’s third-largest party – was on the receiving end of what became known as the “nut rage” incident six years ago, when he was made to beg on his knees by a South Korean airline heiress.

The episode made headlines worldwide and turned him into a symbol of workplace abuse in a hierarchical society.

In December 2014, a Korean Air flight from New York to Seoul had a particularly demanding passenger in first class: Cho Hyun-ah, the daughter of the chairman of the South Korean conglomerate that controls the flag-carrier, and a senior airline executive herself.

When a stewardess presented her with a bag of pre-departure nuts, Cho flew into a rage, screaming they should have been served on a plate.

“A flight attendant came to me … looking half-dead, telling me Cho had gone mad with her over the nuts,” said Park, who was then the cabin crew chief.