Actors Go Hyun-jung and Choi Hwa-jung communicate with fans, inspired by positive comments

By KTimes

Veteran actress Go Hyun-jung, known for her mysterious aura over her 35-year career, launched a YouTube channel in mid-May to share her daily life and connect directly with her fans.

The catalyst for this process was none other than the comments she received.

In January, she appeared on musician Jung Jae-hyung’s YouTube show “Fairy’s Table,” which received more than 10,000 comments recalling warm memories with her or encouraging her.

In his first video on his channel, Go, with tears in his eyes, said: “I have never received such kind words on any show before. I cried a lot reading all the wonderful comments. Before, I I only heard harsh things. It made me realize that not everyone likes me.

Similarly, actor and TV personality Choi Hwa-jung, after a year of consideration, started her YouTube broadcast earlier this month and what finally convinced her were the supportive comments she received.

On Hong Jin-kyung’s YouTube channel, where Choi appeared last year, comments such as: “People who know what they like shine like that” and “I want to grow old like her” were left.

Recently, on his own YouTube channel, Choi expressed his emotions, saying, “I almost cried reading the comments. They were so nice. I usually see comments telling me to ‘die’ or accusing me of ‘doing pretending to be pretty’, so seeing those positives made me very happy.”

Celebrities tired of rumors and malicious comments

Authentic comments offer comfort to celebrities tired of rumors and malicious comments. Encouraged by such support, these stars decide to increase their interactions with fans rather than cut off communication.

For a long time, malicious comments have caused physical and emotional distress to celebrities, but the rise of positive comments and the attention celebrities give them is gradually sparking change.

The starting point of this change was the change of perspective towards the actors. When Go appeared on the talk show “Fairy’s Table” after a 15-year hiatus from talk shows since her 2009 appearance on MBC’s “The Knee Drop Guru,” the series carefully revisited her acting journey.

Host Jung Jae-hyung responded to the rumors surrounding her by saying, “I apologize for reacting to the gossip about you with an ‘Oh, really?’ without considering your feelings, even unintentional support and passive acceptance of rumors can be hurtful to those involved,” demonstrating sensitivity aligned with new age values. This helped Go heal and allowed viewers to. realize.

During her appearance on “The Knee Drop Guru,” Go Hyun-jung was bombarded with intrusive questions about her ex-husband, whom she had divorced six years earlier, focusing only on “actress rumors.”

Virtuous circle created by sincere interactions

This reflected the male-centric perspective that dominated the broadcasting industry at the time, where female actresses were often exploited within a patriarchal framework.

Likewise, Choi, who remains single, has had to repeatedly address rumors about his sexual orientation and relationships on shows. Despite her efforts to clarify, the rumors only continued to spread, overshadowing her talents and personal charm as an actress.

Popular culture critic Jung Deok-hyun said: “YouTube talk shows tend to approach celebrities more sincerely, unlike traditional shows which often exploit them. Jung Jae-hyung’s apology for inadvertently supporting the rumors was a positive approach. »

Essentially, fan support, expressed through positive comments, encourages celebrities to maintain open channels of communication.

This marks the start of a virtuous cycle where sincere interactions help heal the wounds inflicted by years of malicious comments and rumors.

Kim Heon-sik, professor of social and cultural studies at Jungwon University, said: “Even though we cannot completely eliminate malicious comments, highlighting positive comments can help alleviate celebrities’ suffering. Fans should actively support celebrities who are distressed by negative comments. comments, and celebrities should cherish positive comments, creating a virtuous circle.

This article from Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.