Koreaboo is merely celebrity gossip. What kind of people typically consume malicious celebrity gossip and scandals?
Copilot: "People who gravitate toward malicious celebrity gossip and scandal often exhibit a mix of psychological and social traits that make sensational narratives especially appealing. These individuals tend to be active consumers of pop culture and media, often engaging with content that provides an immediate, visceral thrill. They might be characterized by a high appetite for drama, a penchant for schadenfreude (taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others), and, at times, a desire to feel morally superior by judging those in the limelight. Such consumers frequently engage in these narratives as a form of social bonding—exchanging “inside” information with peers—and as a way to partake in what feels like a communal updating of who is in or out of favor in an ever-changing cultural hierarchy.
There’s also a psychological element to this consumption. Research and commentary in the field of celebrity studies suggest that those invested in malicious celebrity gossip might be more likely to have underlying feelings of insecurity or envy. They may find comfort in the narrative that even the rich and famous are fallible, which serves as proof that one’s own flaws are universal. For these individuals, the act of consuming such stories isn’t just about idle curiosity—it’s a way to navigate their social identities, sometimes reinforcing a sense of self by positioning themselves in contrast to the scandals of public figures. This often happens in the context of highly mediated environments where the immediacy and exaggeration of gossip on social media or tabloid sources intensify these feelings and reactions." -
The Kim Soo Hyun case goes under the skin, because we are witnessing a turning point as regards media ethics and ethical media use. Either the boundary between private and public is drawn more clearly. Or all celebrities are just one second away from public humiliation. This is where people pick the side.
Not being a fan of anyone is an alien concept to those whose own life is all idol saturated and unlived. Feeding the brains with celebrity gossip would be normally considered as a model of cultural consumption for the lower classes and the semi-illiterati. But if the society around sees idol mania as normal and even praiseworthy, there's no loss of face in engagement with gossip rags. When anonymous not actually seen by anyone, there can no loss of face either.
Focusing on details of scandals means not caring about the industry surrounding the scandals. The industry, either cyberwrecker media or entertainment companies, is not a deflection but the where it all takes place. Celebrity gossip is attractive to those who like to wallow in the mud. People are downgrading and degrading first and foremost themselves. Not the target who is the target without consent and without means to shoot the whole dartboard down.
I've been saying these things whenever MDL has published celebrity gossip, over and over again. Now we're finally seeing the consequences in full. Consume the gossip industry, it's you who are consumed and in fact giving up on yourself and what you could be.
The lawsuit decides about stalking and defamation and violation of privacy, nothing else. The truth will never come out as the other party is conveniently dead and people can make stories endlessly. I don't know about the grooming since people conveniently ignore the mother who was KSR's manager and likely behind the decision to let her play an adult role in a romcom together with an adult male when she was 14.
You do your youth protection, but as a mother, if my child had made 18 suicide attempts I would make sure to get her treatment and never let her out of my sight. And in terms of protection of the youth, it is not as if the SK idol hungry society would prohibit child sexualisation. I like the way they had to cancel the already produced the 10-15 year old girls' idol competition where these kids were wearing sexy clothes, doing sexy dances and wearing lots of makeup. But think about it. Although the cancelling was right we must ask who accepted the concept in the first place and what were the parents thinking. The pushback should have happened earlier. You get to crucify one person in the mess and everything else remains the same.
The court makes a decision about borders around privacy. There's the police investigation of Garosero in the defamation and coercion of Tzuyang. The decision there will likely show us how the court will decide also on KSH case.
I wish MDL had not scrapped the article about KSR and KSH dating rumour because I was condemning that very article strongly as invasion of privacy. Because I am sure the gossip hungry predators here were screaming at KSR there. I really would like to check. But these justice warriors are not fond of truth but just the idea of themselves as justice warriors. Garosero already identified KSH as a Chinese communist and next he will claim KSH is a North Korean spy and people will just conveniently ignore those parts.
Rumour economy is a huge risk for future k-drama productions. Whilst cyberwreckers continue to cash out - huge profits, no risk - the nation's most valuable export is just one more scandal away from free fall.
How South Korea’s ad‑fuelled rumor economy has morphed into a national economic risk:
"The K‑content boom is South Korea’s soft‑power crown jewel; its collapse would be an own goal of historic scale. Kim Soo‑hyun did not ask to be the test case for platform accountability, but his saga has revealed a simple truth: if a single YouTube clip can halt a ₩20 billion Disney project overnight, the rumor economy is no longer a gossip problem—it is a systemic economic hazard. Pollution laws taught us that businesses must not profit by dumping costs on the commons. The same principle should govern digital bile. Until the platforms and profiteers pay, every Korean hit show, luxury ambassador and budding idol will live in fear of the next unverified screenshot—and the nation’s most valuable export will remain one rumor away from free fall."
South Korea’s YouTube rumor ecosystem is a well‑oiled outrage factory. A mid‑tier “investigative” channel earns roughly ₩6,000 to ₩8,000 per thousand views; videos accusing Kim of grooming the actress have already surpassed four million clicks, generating about ₩30 million (US $22,000) in ad revenue each. None of that money is escrowed in case of defamation. None is clawed back if the claims collapse.
One "exposé” video can earn its creator tens of millions of won in YouTube ad revenue, yet the target must spend more than that just to begin clearing his name.
Just a reminder of problems with aligning with cyberwrecker YouTube channels.
Garosero Research Institute (Hoverlab) is under police investigation also in another case, concerning YouTuber Tzuyang. Hoverlab is accused of repeatedly posting photos and comments about Tzuyang, accusing her of tax evasion and other personal matters, starting from July 30 2024. Garosero is is accused of violating anti-stalking law, for intimidation and coercion.
Releasing content, which may be fabricated, in a piecemeal fashion ensures continued revenue. We can estimate that Garosero and the family have made at least than 20 billion won (more likely doubly that) from the KSH case thus far. The court cases are rendered difficult by the fact that YouTube is not under Korean laws.
Other cyberwrecker YouTubers have asked money from targets first, threatening to disclose private content to the public. If the blackmail doesn't work, the contents are relased.
Garosero's posts about Tzuyang "contain material that is not only sufficient to damage the social reputation and public evaluation of the plaintiff, but also intrudes on private matters that should be legally protected,” the court said. “Uploading such content to a YouTube channel accessible by an unspecified number of people exceeds the scope of legitimate exercise of rights.” The case is currently under supplementary investigation by the Gangnam Police Precinct in Seoul.
"Following YouTuber Tzuyang's recent revelation about her being assaulted and financially exploited by her former boyfriend for four years, a group of YouTubers were suspected to have blackmailed her for money in exchange for keeping quiet about her past.
The revelation shocked and angered viewers over what many are calling the moral bankruptcy of the so-called "cyber wreckers," who make a profit by posting rumors or negative news about celebrities often in a maliciously edited form.
Cyber wreckers have long been controversial for uploading unverified claims about well-known people.
Most cyber wreckers claim that they are working in the interest of the public's right to know the truth. But the self-proclaimed vigilantism by these YouTubers has been prone to criticism and even negative consequences.In one incident a YouTuber wrongly accused a local woman of being a girlfriend of a sex crime convict, leading to a barrage of online attacks against her.
Cyberwreckers openly and maliciously edit videos about celebrities as clickbait to feed their channel.
"A former YouTuber surnamed Park was indicted in May over defamation of several K-pop stars, with the Incheon District Court freezing her assets with plans to seize them if the court decides they have been obtained with profit from her illegal activities. She had been spreading baseless rumors about K-pop stars, such as dating rumors and plastic surgery claims, accumulating 160 million views before her channel was shuttered in June last year.
Filing for charges against anonymous YouTubers like Park has presented difficulties for local entertainment agencies since the law states that one has to file information about the litigant. The video-sharing channel's operator, Google, is based in California, and acquiring channel hosts' information requires an order from a California court."
But K-pop star Jang Won-young's agency Starship Entertainment was granted the right to request the information from Google and YouTube in a ruling by the US District Court Northern District of California last year.
I find this good. It's nowhere as high quality as Sandstorm or A Life for Life, but still very watchable. The acting is good, especially Simon Yam is awesome. I hope this stays as engaging and good until the end. (am currently at ep 7) It may even offer bigger plot twists (the plot description here seems to contain a bigger spoiler).
This is pretty awesome. The cinematography is breathtaking. The location and the feels it provides always have a big role in the Light On series and for the viewing experience. The order in which they portray the story is unusually well thought out. Although this is a sad story I'm pretty sure there's going to be a redemption in the end (I've watched 7 eps). I love to see Du Xiang Dong courageously pedalling on his bicycle for hours on the misty mountain roads. Shi Peng Yuan is in a main role a second time together with Qin Hao after the Bad Kids, they're both so good in this too.
It's just pointless. We live in an era of new Victorian morality, or rather reverse Victorian morality. Where…
Eastern Europe, exactly. In my country there was a strong pro-communist stalinist pro-revolution movement in the universities pre-1980s. That's why old people see the current wokeist movement in universities as merely a continuation of the excesses of crazy ideological dogmatism of that era. Somehow that strikes me as somewhat true. The moral ideas are different but "the end justifies the means" and "ideals above everything" and only-one-truth-is-allowed attitude is the same. New victorians also feel that they are and justifiable have to be in control just bc of representing a new generation. Progressive regressives :)
Very funny that you were reported for this very logical and common sense comment. The report that user made is…
I'd be ashamed personally if I had that many profiles as that user and had to be constantly changing my username to stay in good books with the moderators!
It's a big relief that MDL is slowly returning to a drama commenting and discussion site. Having political campaigns is suitable for X. People here could maybe pause and think about what different platforms are for. Wrecking and criticizing celebrities and applauding the voices of the most vitriolic k-netizens is the bread and butter of platforms like Koreaboo and AllKpop. But there's been a bigger mix-up in that newcomers think this site is similar to them.
I've always protested very loudly against publishing celebrity news in MDL. We don't need to know anything about actors private lives. It's none of our business. That's how agencies always respond to dating rumours: "That concerns the actor's private life, no comments". The public has no right for invasion of actors' privacy.
If the focus on dramas is lost, the whole point of this site is lost. Unfortunately the staff writers are of the gossip hungry type. For this they've gotten so many verbal beatings in the comments that by now they're starting to get a little more restrained in this aspect. If the message is slowly getting through to even them there could in future be a shift in SK's treatment of actors. No one can bear the burden to be a role model solely based on doing what they're talented at. SK must provide more freedom for actors to live normal lives. Like one actress said, every scandal means that the next victim could be you.
Scandals and rumours and a bullet proof money making machine for cyberwrecker YouTubers and Dispatch type of gossip rags. Make no mistake: Garosero and Jinho both are making millions out of this mess. People are being led in a leash by notoriously unreliable sources, and then believe what they think is fact-based.
Even so called reputable newspapers just repeat this stuff bc it brings clicks. Then when suicides happen they are suddenly all remorseful and it was somebody else's fault not theirs.
But you can't maintain a celebrity gossip site within a site that was meant to be a user-contributed drama database and a platform for drama discussion and rating. When I personally arrived here the majority of users were long-term drama fans. Being a drama fan doesn't mean forming a fandom for a specific drama and fighting off all opinions that we are not satisfied with.
So the people here are actually not divided into KSH fans and KSR fans but those who cannot stand bullying and those who bully. The very same people who bullied KSR are bullying KSH. People don't change. Bullies will always be bullies. Personally I've blocked all of them bc I don't want to see it. But I'm grateful that MDL is showing what is acceptable behavior in this site and what is not. People are stuck on the mindset that we must take sides on this particular scandal. So they can't even understand that platforms have community norms and that without moderators things get out of hand, as happened on this page.
I wish we could all quit feeding on the negativity. We'll never know the truth bc everyone has their own story to tell and their own truth. As in dramas that show both his and her side of the story.
If you hold a grudge the grudge holds you. If you want to diminish other users just know you are diminished yourself. Let's just all try and get along and return to watching dramas instead of searching everywhere for things to get angry about.
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Copilot: "People who gravitate toward malicious celebrity gossip and scandal often exhibit a mix of psychological and social traits that make sensational narratives especially appealing. These individuals tend to be active consumers of pop culture and media, often engaging with content that provides an immediate, visceral thrill. They might be characterized by a high appetite for drama, a penchant for schadenfreude (taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others), and, at times, a desire to feel morally superior by judging those in the limelight. Such consumers frequently engage in these narratives as a form of social bonding—exchanging “inside” information with peers—and as a way to partake in what feels like a communal updating of who is in or out of favor in an ever-changing cultural hierarchy.
There’s also a psychological element to this consumption. Research and commentary in the field of celebrity studies suggest that those invested in malicious celebrity gossip might be more likely to have underlying feelings of insecurity or envy. They may find comfort in the narrative that even the rich and famous are fallible, which serves as proof that one’s own flaws are universal. For these individuals, the act of consuming such stories isn’t just about idle curiosity—it’s a way to navigate their social identities, sometimes reinforcing a sense of self by positioning themselves in contrast to the scandals of public figures. This often happens in the context of highly mediated environments where the immediacy and exaggeration of gossip on social media or tabloid sources intensify these feelings and reactions."
-
The Kim Soo Hyun case goes under the skin, because we are witnessing a turning point as regards media ethics and ethical media use. Either the boundary between private and public is drawn more clearly. Or all celebrities are just one second away from public humiliation. This is where people pick the side.
Not being a fan of anyone is an alien concept to those whose own life is all idol saturated and unlived. Feeding the brains with celebrity gossip would be normally considered as a model of cultural consumption for the lower classes and the semi-illiterati. But if the society around sees idol mania as normal and even praiseworthy, there's no loss of face in engagement with gossip rags. When anonymous not actually seen by anyone, there can no loss of face either.
Focusing on details of scandals means not caring about the industry surrounding the scandals. The industry, either cyberwrecker media or entertainment companies, is not a deflection but the where it all takes place. Celebrity gossip is attractive to those who like to wallow in the mud. People are downgrading and degrading first and foremost themselves. Not the target who is the target without consent and without means to shoot the whole dartboard down.
I've been saying these things whenever MDL has published celebrity gossip, over and over again. Now we're finally seeing the consequences in full. Consume the gossip industry, it's you who are consumed and in fact giving up on yourself and what you could be.
You do your youth protection, but as a mother, if my child had made 18 suicide attempts I would make sure to get her treatment and never let her out of my sight. And in terms of protection of the youth, it is not as if the SK idol hungry society would prohibit child sexualisation. I like the way they had to cancel the already produced the 10-15 year old girls' idol competition where these kids were wearing sexy clothes, doing sexy dances and wearing lots of makeup. But think about it. Although the cancelling was right we must ask who accepted the concept in the first place and what were the parents thinking. The pushback should have happened earlier. You get to crucify one person in the mess and everything else remains the same.
The court makes a decision about borders around privacy. There's the police investigation of Garosero in the defamation and coercion of Tzuyang. The decision there will likely show us how the court will decide also on KSH case.
I wish MDL had not scrapped the article about KSR and KSH dating rumour because I was condemning that very article strongly as invasion of privacy. Because I am sure the gossip hungry predators here were screaming at KSR there. I really would like to check. But these justice warriors are not fond of truth but just the idea of themselves as justice warriors. Garosero already identified KSH as a Chinese communist and next he will claim KSH is a North Korean spy and people will just conveniently ignore those parts.
How South Korea’s ad‑fuelled rumor economy has morphed into a national economic risk:
"The K‑content boom is South Korea’s soft‑power crown jewel; its collapse would be an own goal of historic scale. Kim Soo‑hyun did not ask to be the test case for platform accountability, but his saga has revealed a simple truth: if a single YouTube clip can halt a ₩20 billion Disney project overnight, the rumor economy is no longer a gossip problem—it is a systemic economic hazard. Pollution laws taught us that businesses must not profit by dumping costs on the commons. The same principle should govern digital bile. Until the platforms and profiteers pay, every Korean hit show, luxury ambassador and budding idol will live in fear of the next unverified screenshot—and the nation’s most valuable export will remain one rumor away from free fall."
South Korea’s YouTube rumor ecosystem is a well‑oiled outrage factory. A mid‑tier “investigative” channel earns roughly ₩6,000 to ₩8,000 per thousand views; videos accusing Kim of grooming the actress have already surpassed four million clicks, generating about ₩30 million (US $22,000) in ad revenue each. None of that money is escrowed in case of defamation. None is clawed back if the claims collapse.
One "exposé” video can earn its creator tens of millions of won in YouTube ad revenue, yet the target must spend more than that just to begin clearing his name.
https://dmnews.com/jus-tns-kim-soo%E2%80%91hyuns-lawsuit-shows-koreas-rumor-economy-is-an-economic-liability/
Garosero Research Institute (Hoverlab) is under police investigation also in another case, concerning YouTuber Tzuyang. Hoverlab is accused of repeatedly posting photos and comments about Tzuyang, accusing her of tax evasion and other personal matters, starting from July 30 2024. Garosero is is accused of violating anti-stalking law, for intimidation and coercion.
Releasing content, which may be fabricated, in a piecemeal fashion ensures continued revenue. We can estimate that Garosero and the family have made at least than 20 billion won (more likely doubly that) from the KSH case thus far. The court cases are rendered difficult by the fact that YouTube is not under Korean laws.
Other cyberwrecker YouTubers have asked money from targets first, threatening to disclose private content to the public. If the blackmail doesn't work, the contents are relased.
Garosero's posts about Tzuyang "contain material that is not only sufficient to damage the social reputation and public evaluation of the plaintiff, but also intrudes on private matters that should be legally protected,” the court said. “Uploading such content to a YouTube channel accessible by an unspecified number of people exceeds the scope of legitimate exercise of rights.” The case is currently under supplementary investigation by the Gangnam Police Precinct in Seoul.
https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-04-17/national/socialAffairs/Court-orders-Hoverlab-to-remove-Tzuyangrelated-video-content/2287878
Extortion of YouTuber Tzuyang highlights 'cyber wrecker' issues in S. Korea. https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3433948
"Following YouTuber Tzuyang's recent revelation about her being assaulted and financially exploited by her former boyfriend for four years, a group of YouTubers were suspected to have blackmailed her for money in exchange for keeping quiet about her past.
The revelation shocked and angered viewers over what many are calling the moral bankruptcy of the so-called "cyber wreckers," who make a profit by posting rumors or negative news about celebrities often in a maliciously edited form.
Cyber wreckers have long been controversial for uploading unverified claims about well-known people.
Most cyber wreckers claim that they are working in the interest of the public's right to know the truth. But the self-proclaimed vigilantism by these YouTubers has been prone to criticism and even negative consequences.In one incident a YouTuber wrongly accused a local woman of being a girlfriend of a sex crime convict, leading to a barrage of online attacks against her.
Cyberwreckers openly and maliciously edit videos about celebrities as clickbait to feed their channel.
"A former YouTuber surnamed Park was indicted in May over defamation of several K-pop stars, with the Incheon District Court freezing her assets with plans to seize them if the court decides they have been obtained with profit from her illegal activities. She had been spreading baseless rumors about K-pop stars, such as dating rumors and plastic surgery claims, accumulating 160 million views before her channel was shuttered in June last year.
Filing for charges against anonymous YouTubers like Park has presented difficulties for local entertainment agencies since the law states that one has to file information about the litigant. The video-sharing channel's operator, Google, is based in California, and acquiring channel hosts' information requires an order from a California court."
But K-pop star Jang Won-young's agency Starship Entertainment was granted the right to request the information from Google and YouTube in a ruling by the US District Court Northern District of California last year.
I've always protested very loudly against publishing celebrity news in MDL. We don't need to know anything about actors private lives. It's none of our business. That's how agencies always respond to dating rumours: "That concerns the actor's private life, no comments". The public has no right for invasion of actors' privacy.
If the focus on dramas is lost, the whole point of this site is lost. Unfortunately the staff writers are of the gossip hungry type. For this they've gotten so many verbal beatings in the comments that by now they're starting to get a little more restrained in this aspect. If the message is slowly getting through to even them there could in future be a shift in SK's treatment of actors. No one can bear the burden to be a role model solely based on doing what they're talented at. SK must provide more freedom for actors to live normal lives. Like one actress said, every scandal means that the next victim could be you.
Scandals and rumours and a bullet proof money making machine for cyberwrecker YouTubers and Dispatch type of gossip rags. Make no mistake: Garosero and Jinho both are making millions out of this mess. People are being led in a leash by notoriously unreliable sources, and then believe what they think is fact-based.
Even so called reputable newspapers just repeat this stuff bc it brings clicks. Then when suicides happen they are suddenly all remorseful and it was somebody else's fault not theirs.
But you can't maintain a celebrity gossip site within a site that was meant to be a user-contributed drama database and a platform for drama discussion and rating. When I personally arrived here the majority of users were long-term drama fans. Being a drama fan doesn't mean forming a fandom for a specific drama and fighting off all opinions that we are not satisfied with.
So the people here are actually not divided into KSH fans and KSR fans but those who cannot stand bullying and those who bully. The very same people who bullied KSR are bullying KSH. People don't change. Bullies will always be bullies. Personally I've blocked all of them bc I don't want to see it. But I'm grateful that MDL is showing what is acceptable behavior in this site and what is not. People are stuck on the mindset that we must take sides on this particular scandal. So they can't even understand that platforms have community norms and that without moderators things get out of hand, as happened on this page.
I wish we could all quit feeding on the negativity. We'll never know the truth bc everyone has their own story to tell and their own truth. As in dramas that show both his and her side of the story.
If you hold a grudge the grudge holds you. If you want to diminish other users just know you are diminished yourself. Let's just all try and get along and return to watching dramas instead of searching everywhere for things to get angry about.