"My Money, My Purchase" Can Star YouTubers' Product Recommendations Be Trusted?

'Naedonnaesan' Content Revealed as Ads or Sponsorships
Expert: "Celebrity Spending Greatly Influences General Consumers... Caution Needed"

Consumer complaints are growing due to some celebrities promoting products without disclosing sponsorships. The photo shows Han Hye-yeon's 'Naedonnaesan' segment on 'ShuSsu TV.' Photo by 'ShuSsu TV'

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kim Seul-gi] The YouTube content "Naedonnaesan," which has gained popularity for its meaning of purchasing and using products directly rather than through sponsorship, has become controversial after it was revealed to be cleverly produced advertisements or sponsored content.

Experts suggested that content directly promoted by celebrities has a strong impact and needs to be produced carefully.

According to a media outlet, star YouTubers such as Han Hye-yeon and Kang Min-kyung received advertising fees worth tens of millions of won and used sponsored products in their content without properly labeling them as "paid advertisements," causing controversy over consumer deception.

In particular, stylist Han Hye-yeon conducted broadcasts recommending certain products in the "Naedonnaesan" segment on her YouTube channel "ShususuTV," but some of the recommended products were revealed to be advertisements or sponsored items rather than products she purchased herself.

As the scandal grew, Han Hye-yeon apologized in a video posted on the "ShususuTV" channel on the 17th, saying, "'ShususuTV' was a channel created through communication with you, sharing the know-how, knowledge, and information I have, but I am very sorry for causing confusion during that process."

She continued, "Although it cannot be undone, I am very disappointed in myself and deeply reflect on every comment you leave. From now on, I will strictly manage and uphold clear labeling of PPL so that this channel will never disappoint you again," she emphasized.

Kang Min-kyung also issued an apology. In a post on her SNS, she said, "I received many sponsorship and advertising offers from various brands, and the excitement made me overlook the feelings of the subscribers who cherished my channel."

She added, "Reading the comments from those who felt uncomfortable helped me learn about the areas I failed to pay close attention to. I will be more careful and cautious in all matters going forward. I sincerely apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable because of me."

Photo by Yonhap News

Netizens who subscribed to the channel expressed outrage, accusing it of deceiving consumers.

Kim, a 23-year-old office worker who identified herself as a regular viewer of "ShususuTV," said, "I have bought many products recommended on 'ShususuTV' because I trusted that they provided objective information." She raised her voice, saying, "But after hearing about the sponsorship, I was shocked. If it’s sponsored, shouldn’t it be clearly labeled as 'sponsored' in large subtitles or in a way that viewers can easily recognize? Instead, they emphasized that the products were bought with their own money. Isn’t this deceiving the viewers?"

Another office worker, Son, 27, said, "I have bought clothes and cosmetics after watching celebrity content because I thought what stars use must be different." He criticized, "But after buying, the quality was poor and disappointing."

He continued, "I found out there was a reason?it was all advertising. I was so angry that I pointed out the problem in the comments, but they acted as if they did nothing wrong. I believed it firmly because they said they bought it with their own money, but I felt betrayed and canceled my subscription," he said.

Photo by Yonhap News

Due to some YouTubers operating in the form of disguised advertisements, the government plans to revise and enforce related laws. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it has finalized the amendment to the "Guidelines on the Review of Advertising and Labeling for Recommendations and Endorsements" and will implement it starting September 1.

According to the amendment, people who post content on platforms like Instagram and YouTube must clearly indicate sponsorships, i.e., monetary compensation, at the very beginning of the post or in the title so that consumers can easily recognize it.

The FTC stated that sponsorships should not be indicated in parts that require clicking "See More" or in the comment section, nor should foreign language labels such as "AD" or "Sponsored by" be used.

Experts emphasized that celebrities must bear responsibility given the significant promotional effect their endorsements have on products.

Professor Lee Eun-hee of Inha University’s Department of Consumer Studies explained, "Celebrities are a group with significant external effects on consumption. Because their consumption influences and impacts others greatly, they need to be aware of this fact. Exploiting loopholes in government guidelines designed to protect consumers is a failure to fulfill their social responsibilities using their influence."

Professor Lee pointed out, "Such behavior by celebrities can negatively affect consumers' purchasing behavior. Many consumers derive satisfaction by imitating celebrities' consumption because they believe that buying what celebrities use will not lead to failure."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.