Ever since the proliferation of smartphones and electronic devices, the number of YouTube users increased, and thus YouTube trends have diversified. Vlogs, beauty, talk shows – regardless of the topics and format, the content of YouTube videos have become diverse. According to the statistics conducted by ‘WiseApp’, the monthly number of YouTube users increased by 7 percent from 30.93 million in August last year to 3.38 million in August this year. However, as the size of the platform of various areas grew large, few problems have arisen. This article specifically attempts to shed light on the two controversial discussions on YouTube in Korea that have been brought up in recent days: ‘Backdoor Online Advertising’ and ‘False Eating’.
- Backdoor Online Advertising
Backdoor online advertising refers to when an advertising company asks for an advertisement without apprising the viewers that watch the advertisement. The controversy regarding backdoor online advertising set about a month ago when it was revealed that products that Han Hye-hyeon, a famous stylist, and Kang Min-Kyung, a ballad singer have introduced on their Youtube channel were sponsored. Specifically, Ms. Han has enraged the viewers by deceiving the viewers several times by claiming that she was introducing what she purchased with her own money while receiving millions of money worth advertising expenses from advertisers on the sly. After such an incident, the viewers showed deep resentment for betraying their credit and expectation toward Ms.Han and Ms.Kang, in exchange for money.
The controversy went even more viral when a YouTube creator "Cham PD" pointed the finger at other YouTubers who benefited from backdoor online advertising. On Aug. 3, he accused many other YouTube creators of taking secret payments from their sponsors by advertising the products without informing their viewers that the video includes advertisements by showing "Including paid ads” sign. He also declared that he would discontinue his activities on YouTube. "I've always been the target of criticism even though I was always above suspicion. On the other hand, other YouTube creators who secretly took money are called to be 'clean'. Like this, I don’t think I can continue my YouTube activities because I feel deprived.", he moaned in his last video. In the wake of such a video, the focus of criticism shifted to other famous Youtubers starting from Ziyang whose channel has 2.67 million subscribers to Champagne, Dotty, and Bo-Gyeom, successively. Although Ziyang was eventually revealed to be innocent, Cham PD’s disclosure to the public had left a substantial degree of impact on the viewers of the aforementioned channel.
Product placement is the biggest source of revenue for YouTubers. They sign contracts with specific brands to expose their products to the viewers. According to the original broadcasting law, YouTubers are required to post the advertising sign on their videos, stating that the content has an advertisement. However, as there have never been clear advertising guidelines and institutional directions in regard to the contents on YouTube, so it is undeniable that YouTube was ought to encounter such matters.
At this point, the main focus of the inflating controversy is not towards the legal matter but towards the moral issue of deceiving viewers by feigning credence to hide the advertisement. Such controversy should not be merely confined to the morality of the creators. This is because the whole profit system from false advertisement also involves Multi-Channel Networks (MCNs) that are responsible for managing and supervising the creators and the general business circles that request deceptive advertising.
Since the rise of the controversial undeclared advertisement, the voice that calls for enacting detailed laws regarding undeclared advertisement and strengthening the punishment. As a result, the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) announced that it would make an amendment to the Guidelines for Reviewing Indications and Advertisements on Recommendations and Guarantee, which would prohibit "undeclared advertising" from Sept. 1. If the content is not clearly indicated as an advertisement, the company will be fined less than 2 percent of sales or income or 500 million KRW. Since the guideline that has been equivocal is revised to gain more clarity, the KCC declared that it would consider criminal charges if the violation continues even after a period of instruction. Moreover, in conjunction with the Korea Communications Commission, the commission also stated that it is in the process of discussing whether it would include advertisers as well as creators in the scope of the dealership.
- False Eating
Following the undeclared advertisement that shook the YouTube society, false eating shows were also put on the chopping board. Mukbang which is short for 'eating show’ is one of the most popular one-person broadcasting content among young people. The motive of the eating show is to ensure that the broadcast hosts eat a lot and well so that viewers can feel satisfaction.
However, viewers' distrust in Mukbang has grown recently as some Mukbang creators were found to spit the food out after eating. A video clip of "Jeong Deok-hoo" that did not omit the clip of throwing up by mistake was the onset. After the clip, viewers raised suspicions that the majority of Mukbang YouTubers who eat a lot of food might have done the same.
As a YouTuber who mainly deals with eating shows, it is hard to avoid criticism that he deceived viewers without being faithful to his main job as an eating show YouTuber if he is found to have eaten food falsely.
"It is an act of deceiving viewers, and it is an act of trying to monopolize profits without making enough effort to eat and vomit, so you get the most criticism. It is, in fact, the act of spitting food that I am referring to. In the case of BJ who broadcasts in real-time, they can’t spit after eating even if they want to, and thus it's mainly used by some wicked YouTubers who can edit and upload images freely.
By the author of 『Spirit’s diet guide』, ‘The Reasons why Mukbang YouTubers don’t get fat’
On the other hand, there is also an argument that such an act of spitting out food in Mukbang is not a matter of problem. Hwang Gyo-Ik, a columnist claimed on Oct. 10 via Facebook that "Mukbang is a type of broadcast and therefore performers can ‘act’.”. Hwang added, "After all, health comes first. Losing your health means losing everything in your life.”. In fact, last year, there was an incident in Japan where a YouTuber collapsed during Onigiri (rice ball, in English) Mukbang and died.
- Conclusion
South Korea's growing YouTube platform allows people to exchange information quickly and to enjoy video content of various topics. Since YouTube became a major media outlet, YouTube has gained substantial influence, recording millions of subscribers, and platform users are now capable of making a significant amount of revenue from inquiries and advertising fees. As such, a huge responsibility falls upon both the users and the supervisors of YouTube. A creator industry has the potential to attract attention as a new media and a window for information distribution. Taking advantage of this possibility, problems such as undeclared advertising and false eating should be eliminated while developing the platform even further.