"Please Hang Yourself and Disappear" - Flood of 'Hate Comments' Directed at YouTuber, Is This Okay?

Some YouTubers Face 'Undisclosed Advertisement' Controversy... Viewers Criticize
Some Netizens Flood with Abusive Language and Personal Attacks
Experts Say "Crowd Psychology Works Online... Strong Aggressiveness Appears"

Popular YouTuber Nareum, who was caught up in the so-called 'hidden advertisement' controversy. The photo shows Nareum acknowledging and apologizing for the hidden advertisement in a video titled 'I'm Sorry' posted on their YouTube channel on the 6th. Photo by Nareum, screenshot from YouTube.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Recently, amid the spreading controversy over so-called 'backdoor advertising'?where popular mukbang (eating broadcast) YouTubers received advertising fees but failed to disclose them?excessive personal attacks and malicious comments (malicious comments) have been pouring in against these YouTubers, sparking further debate. Viewers and netizens have continued to criticize, saying, "Pointing out mistakes does not justify malicious comments."

Experts pointed out that people who feel betrayed by those they supported and cheered for gather as a crowd and unleash harsh criticism.

Popular YouTuber 'Nareum' was embroiled in controversy for not disclosing paid sponsorships in his content. On the 6th, Nareum uploaded a video titled "I am sorry" on his YouTube channel, admitting to backdoor advertising. He apologized, saying, "While conducting paid advertisements, I only indicated the paid advertisement at the bottom of the 'See More' section, thinking only of my image," and "I admit deceiving viewers and deeply reflect on it."

He also clarified false claims such as "I was kicked out of my former agency" and "I committed tax evasion." Nareum said, "The current agency is not a paper company established for tax evasion. Numerous rumors are spreading about the current agency. I do not want false information to be disseminated because of me." However, he added, "Regarding other remarks or harsh criticisms about my parents, I want to refrain from speaking as it might obscure the essence of this video."

Nevertheless, even after the apology video was posted, the controversy spread through SNS and online communities, and viewers' criticism continued. One viewer commented on the video, saying, "Please disappear with a noose," while some viewers also left personal attack malicious comments.

Comments on the apology video posted by YouTuber Nareum/Photo by Online Community Capture

In response to this situation, some voices criticized, saying, "Malicious comments should not be left." It is pointed out that spreading false information and leaving personal attack malicious comments beyond judging right or wrong or fact-based criticism cannot be justified under any circumstances.

A 27-year-old office worker A, who usually enjoyed watching various mukbang YouTubers' broadcasts, said, "If you were a subscriber, it is natural to feel cheated or deceived," adding, "I think YouTubers should take responsibility as they have a great influence, with hundreds of thousands or millions of subscribers, but that does not mean they have to endure abusive language or malicious comments."

A emphasized, "If a YouTuber committed illegal acts, criticism should be limited to that," and "Using that as a weapon to carry out personal attacks on the YouTuber or those around them is something that should never be done."

Additionally, netizens continued to criticize malicious commenters, saying, "They crossed the line," "No matter how wrong they were, don't control people's lives," and "Criticism should be done in moderation."

Critical awareness of malicious comments was also confirmed in a survey result. According to a survey on 'Internet Malicious Comments' conducted last year by the employment portal Incruit and the survey research agency Doit Survey targeting 3,162 adults, 84% of respondents said they "feel uncomfortable with malicious comments."

As a result, there are calls for stronger punishment for malicious comments. Under current law, malicious comments can be punished under cyber defamation and criminal insult. Cyber defamation carries imprisonment of 3 to 7 years or a fine of 30 million to 50 million KRW depending on whether the statement is true or false, and criminal insult carries imprisonment or detention of up to 1 year or a fine of up to 2 million KRW.

Comment writing footage/Photo by Yonhap News

As malicious comments are recognized as a serious social crime, a bill to strengthen punishment for malicious comments under the Information and Communications Network Act has been submitted to the National Assembly.

On the 7th, Jeon Yong-gi, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced on the 9th that he had proposed a partial amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act to strengthen punishment for malicious comments. The amendment includes establishing a new crime for online hate and discriminatory expressions such as insults under current law and punishing those who cause victims to make or resolve to make extreme choices with imprisonment from 1 to 10 years, similar to the crime of aiding suicide under criminal law.

Experts analyzed that crowd psychology operating on the internet further spreads malicious comments.

Professor Kwak Geum-ju of the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University explained, "(Even if the subject of controversy) did not commit a mistake, criticism based on speculation can be poured out," adding, "Moreover, if they did wrong, people who trusted them and then felt betrayed are more likely to deliver much harsher criticism."

She continued, "Malicious comments tend to become harsher with subsequent commenters rather than the first person who posts them," and "Because they think mild expressions are ineffective, such criticism gradually accumulates and intensifies."

Professor Kwak criticized, "Once (malicious comments) start, crowd psychology works. When others leave malicious comments, more people follow, creating a crowd effect," adding, "When people gather, they become more extreme and aggressive, and online, many more people gather. Therefore, 'online crowding' causes people to lose reason and show strong aggression."

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