"Arrogant... Annoyed by Power-Driven Communication"… Celebrities Reject the Trending 'Clubhouse'

Actor Kim Ji-hoon posted a critical view of Clubhouse on Instagram on the 13th. Photo by Kim Ji-hoon

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] The U.S.-based audio chat social media platform 'Clubhouse' is gaining popularity in South Korea, but some celebrities have criticized it as "a form of communication that has become a power play" and have refused to use it.

Actor Kim Ji-hoon said on Instagram on the 13th, "Clubhouse is experiencing a surge in new users during the Lunar New Year holiday. Looking at this platform, which is currently the hottest topic, we can glimpse the most vulnerable aspects of modern people's psychological state to stimuli."

Kim Ji-hoon explained, "There is a psychological anxiety that if you feel you don't belong to a trending group, your sense of self-worth might decline. There is also the desire to be recognized as different from others and to feel superior to them. Lastly, there is the urge to boast and show off that superiority in a non-vulgar way."

He added, "There seem to be advantages, such as being able to have direct conversations with experts in various fields. However, anyway, I won't use it, so please stop sending me invitations. I prefer Pengha over Clubhouse."

Additionally, singer DinDin pointed out on SBS PowerFM's 'DinDin's Music High' on the 9th, "My impression after trying out the new platform is that it is an expanded form of communication. In a negative sense, it is a more power-driven communication among exclusive groups."

DinDin said, "I heard that invitations are being sold for 10,000 to 20,000 won, which reminds me of nobles in the medieval era trying hard to get into parties. It felt ridiculous to see people dividing themselves as if there were gaps and hierarchies between individuals in this day and age."

He continued, "So I tried creating a room once. While talking, an acquaintance said, 'This is not how you do it. Ordinary people shouldn't be allowed to join the conversation.' I thought, 'Who are you? What do you mean by ordinary people? What kind of authoritarian approach is that?' That suddenly annoyed me."

He added, "I thought, 'This could become a power-driven form of communication,' and decided, 'I shouldn't use it.'"

Clubhouse is a social media platform where people gather in rooms based on specific topics and chat using voice instead of text or video. Currently, it is only accessible via the iPhone app. Also, since only those with invitations can join, the resale of invitations has become widespread.

Recently, Tesla CEO Elon Musk sparked attention by discussing topics such as short selling, GameStop, and Bitcoin on Clubhouse, drawing interest with celebrity participation and remarks.

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