Weverse Magazine is proud to present our new, sporadically published feature THE INDUSTRY, where we take a look at emerging trends in the global entertainment industry from multiple angles. The first article in this series dives into a major shift in Korean entertainment: the explosion of variety shows on YouTube.

“And everyone was asking... “Why don’t you open your own channel?” And the producers I know said, “Hey, let's work together,” or “Let's give it a try.” But they don’t have any content to make with me, and we can’t use something that everyone else is doing.”

Yang Se Chan shares his concerns about YouTube in the first video uploaded to his YouTube channel SsookSsook. Through a series of 13 videos, Yang Se Chan and his crew discuss opening Yang’s own YouTube channel under the title “Meeting in progress.” Here’s the gist of his concern: he wants to try something different, but it’s hard to find a new content idea and even if he does find one, there’s a good reason others are not doing it. What’s more, it wouldn’t be easy to shut down the channel once he opens it. Being known to the public is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The conversation between Yang Se Chan and his crew is probably a common problem for mainstream stars these days. “I know I should create a personal channel, but where do I start?”

It's almost pointless to debate YouTube’s influence on the media industry. Mainstream stars are already doing what television used to do on YouTube. Kim Jong-kook’s channel Kim Jong-kook GYM JONG KOOK, which prominently features his love for fitness, also serves as a variety show where numerous celebrities, including K-pop idols and actors, make appearances for promotional purposes. The channel DdeunDdeun, best known for the series “Pinggyego,” not only features numerous celebrity guests but also attracts a wide range of paid advertisements, ranging from food and beverage franchises to popular electronic devices, and vehicles. As Antenna Plus writer Kim Songhwa, on the crew of SsookSsook and DdeunDdeun, points out, YouTube is not a choice but a necessity for celebrities whose careers require them to be visible to the media and the public. “These days, it’s rare to find someone who says, ‘I don’t watch YouTube.’ For people whose jobs require self-promotion, it becomes clear that they can’t afford not to engage with it.” Six years ago, when actress Shin Se-kyung launched her personal channel, it was something so unusual that there was a joke about it being a “large corporation invading the local market.” Now, however, it’s no longer surprising when anyone starts a YouTube channel. Today on YouTube, you can watch Go Hyun-jung’s daily life, check out Choi Hwa-jung and Sung Si Kyung’s kitchen, and follow workout routines demonstrated by Kim Jong-kook and Han Hye-jin. We live in an era where YouTube creates stars, and stars, in turn, need to create their own YouTube channels.

“I think the cell phone carrier privilege is decreasing lately.” 
“You have to get close to someone before you get into a relationship, right? Like, how do I do that? It's been so long…”

The conversations between actors Lee Je-hoon and Lee Dong-wook on “Pinggyego” sparked immediate resonance and became a hot topic as soon as they aired. Whether it was Lee Je-hoon mentioning phone plan perks or Lee Dong-wook discussing relationships as a universal human experience, the conversations exemplified the essence of today’s YouTube talk content. “There is a rule during editing, ‘Anything that seems like casual talk should definitely be included.’” Kim Ye Seul, producer-director of channel fullmoon at eggiscoming, explained the editing criteria for segments like Nah Yung Suk’s Nattering with Nah. Nattering with Nah features content where guests bring takeout from their favorite restaurants. The show captures their enthusiasm as they talk about the menu, as well as habits and considerations that emerge during meals, and conversations that give insight into what the guests have on their mind. “We ask people what they order on delivery apps. It’s a small thing, but sometimes we’re curious about those details. It’s about wondering, ‘What does this person eat in their daily life?’” As Kim puts it, the moments that catch our attention on YouTube are when celebrities feel closer and we sense their genuine selves.

“Content items have become more personal,” Kim explained, referring to the changes since June of last year, when producer-director Nah Yung Suk started doing live streams on channel fullmoon like a YouTuber and pulling in people around him, including the production team, into the channel. Producer-director Kalos Kim, who handles the filming, editing, and overall operation of GYM JONG KOOK, comments on the frequently featured GYM JONG KOOK-style openings: “If you watch our videos, you’ll see us talking to each other in the car on the way to the gym. In a way, it feels like a real pre-shoot meeting for that day. It’s probably best to think of it as a kind of reality show.” In fact, this opening is an element that intuitively conveys that everything about GYM JONG KOOK is being done by both Kim Jong-kook himself and Kalos Kim “for real.” Similarly, Kang Min-kyung, who has managed her YouTube channel under the handle @iamingki for a long time, often incorporates the process of filming or editing directly into her vlogs, rather than removing it. Nah Yung Suk goes so far as to conduct live broadcasts, streaming conversations and situations in their raw, unedited form. What might start as a joke, like his mention of a “Gocheok Sky Dome fan meeting,” can even turn into actual events. YouTube subscribers follow the consistent context from video to video, navigating between video and reality, as they continue to watch the content from a single channel. “If I win, I’d give you my house.” The pledge, or slip of the tongue, made by Nah before winning the Baeksang Arts Award, became a meme within the channel fullmoon channel. After hearing this pledge, producer-director Kim Ye Seul later jokingly said to Nah in another video, “You don’t have a house,” and even such brief exchanges can be pointed out by YouTube viewers in the comments. Essentially, all celebrities on YouTube are broadcasting their own very “personal” reality shows.

“Do you really shoot like this?” is a question frequently asked by celebrities appearing on GYM JONG KOOK. This is because most of the videos on the channel are filmed by Kalos Kim alone, holding a single camera without guests wearing a microphone. “It’s a system inspired by Jong-kook’s own experiences. He says that once the camera is set up and the microphone is on, he approaches it like it’s a job.” This is the first step in creating the “relaxed and enjoyable conversations” needed for YouTube. It’s an environment where people reveal their true selves, rather than presenting a professional persona suited for traditional broadcasting. “Jong-kook made an effort to treat me casually so that guests would feel like they could relax and be comfortable here.” In the atmosphere created by Kim Yong-dae and Kim Jong-kook, guests benefit from feeling trusted and present themselves comfortably and naturally. “Pinggyego” conducts a significant portion of its filming at the Antenna Plus office. As Antenna Plus producer-director Jo Eunjin, who is in charge of DdeunDdeun and SsookSsook, explains, “The guests are now familiar with the space.” Celebrities who have appeared on “Pinggyego” multiple times naturally enter the office, put on their microphones, and start conversations on their own. The number of crew members visible in “Pinggyego” videos is much smaller compared to traditional broadcasting settings, reducing pressure on the guests of speaking in an environment with many unfamiliar faces. Writer Kim Songhwa explains, “I think ‘Pinggyego’ is more about the audio than the visual aspects of the video." Given the current trend where conversation is crucial in talk content, the simplified production environment is actually a strategy for enhancing content quality.

“Drop everything.” This lesson from Calm-Down Man to producer-director Nah Yung Suk is central to doing YouTube in YouTube’s way. In fact, according to producer-director Kim Ye Seul, channel fullmoon has approached the videos with a homemade, DIY mindset, utilizing as many internal resources from eggiscoming as possible since June of last year. “It seems that the system has become more efficient. There are also cost savings in production.” Producer-director Jo Eunjin explains the advantages of operating a YouTube channel on a relatively smaller scale. For example, traditional broadcasting systems require a large amount of personnel and time for filming, with decision-making involved at each production stage. However, as Jo explains, filming for “Pinggyego” can proceed with fewer steps and less bureaucracy. “In the early days of ‘Pinggyego,’ if Yu Jae-seok said a few days in advance, ‘So-and-so is available,’ we could just say, ‘Shall we film then?’ This kind of flexible system was possible.” Filming with a small team allowed  quick internal discussions. It’s a system well-suited to the characteristics of YouTube, where rapid changes in trends and subscriber reactions require a highly responsive approach. “It [YouTube] requires consistency, and for that, we decided that a comfortable environment for the creators would be better,” explains Kalos Kim on the decision behind choosing a one-man crew with Kim Jong-kook. “Many well-known YouTubers also operate with just one camera. There’s a reason for that.”

“Just come chat for an hour in the park.” What Jo Eunjin told Ji Suk-jin to invite him as the first guest illustrates how content created by mainstream stars on YouTube differs from legacy media content. In the early days of “Pinggyego,” the list of guests included Ji Suk-jin, Song Eun-yi, Cho Sae-ho, Nam Chang-hee, and Lee Kwang-soo, who are known to have close relationships with Yu Jae-seok. Similarly, Song Ji-hyo was the first guest on GYM JONG KOOK. The appearances of Shin Dong-yup on Sung Si Kyung’s channel and Lee Hae-ri on Kang Min-kyung’s require no further explanation. Appearances based on genuine personal connections are quite a YouTube style of approach. Typically, individual YouTubers manage their channels by showcasing their daily lives and conversations, which naturally include friends and family. Sometimes, they also collaborate on joint broadcasts with YouTubers with whom they have developed a connection. Similarly, on channel fullmoon, due to the nature of producer-director Nah Yung Suk’s job, both his juniors and colleagues, as well as celebrities from the shows he has directed, appear simultaneously, and the context of their appearances is easy to catch because it aligns with the aforementioned familiar YouTube style. When well-known figures incorporate real relationships in a YouTuber-like manner, new scenes emerge as they find themselves at the intersection of celebrity and YouTuber. For example, regarding the early GYM JONG KOOK episode titled “Since it’s Chuseok, Jae-seok... (Jin),” where Yoo Jae-suk and Ji Seok-jin appeared as guests, Kalos Kim describes it as a “vlog of celebrities gathering together.” Although it features three widely known celebrities talking continuously, it’s hard to classify it as a talk show or entertainment program. Nevertheless, it has become a huge topic of discussion. “It’s important for people to have a reason to watch,” Kim said while explaining the direction of GYM JONG KOOK. “Our first goal was to show things you can’t see on traditional broadcasts, which is why we didn’t choose the studio-style talk show.” This approach offers an answer to what well-known public figures should show on a YouTube channel. The resulting content, like GYM JONG KOOK, may not be a talk show per se but a platform where guests voluntarily come to the show, much like an actual talk show.

“Responses come very quickly, and they are more detailed. They even mark specific parts they find interesting,” producer-director Kim Ye Seul explained about the proactive feedback from channel fullmoon subscribers, known as “Gudogi.” Starting with hitting the “Subscribe” button, YouTube subscribers engage by interacting during live broadcasts, leaving their opinions in the comments, and highlighting interesting parts with time stamps. Some even create Shorts from those moments and share them outside of YouTube. Producer-director Jo Eunjin shares that  “Subscribers who support the channel help us by spreading the word whenever we do something new or post a trailer.” As such, sometimes channel promotion happens naturally through subscribers, even without the production team’s intention. Unlike television viewers who watch broadcasts at scheduled times, YouTube subscribers who gather around a channel and its uploaded videos show more focused reactions. “You know how on ‘Pinggyego,’ they say ‘Gyewon.’ Many people feel a sense of belonging to that.” Writer Kim Songhwa shared the response to the ‘Gyewon card’ merchandise from ‘Pinggyego.’ “Subscribing feels like sending genuine support.” As Jo explains, subscribing on YouTube is a convenient way to quickly check out one’s favorite content, but it has long served as a means of expressing interest and support. This is why subscribers don't just stay online; they also purchase channel merchandise or participate in offline events. For example, for Nah Yung Suk’s “birthday café” event hosted by channel fullmoon, subscribers lined up to enter the venue, illustrating how YouTube now serves as a platform that can gather and expand reactions to a particular subject. Kalos Kim explains that people react differently when encountering Kim Jong-kook on the street. “In the past, people would say, ‘I’m a fan.’ These days, they say, ‘I’m a subscriber.’” This is an example of what this shift to the YouTube era means for celebrities.

“If traditional broadcasting is like basic math, YouTube feels like calculus.” Producer-director Kim Ye Seul explained the difference between tvN’s “Earth Arcade” and the full version of “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom” released on YouTube. “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom” features the same cast traveling, eating, sleeping, and having fun as “Earth Arcade,” but the end result is very YouTube-like. To be precise, it’s a type of entertainment that is only possible on the YouTube platform. Three months before the teaser video for “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom” was released, Lee Eun-ji, Mimi, Lee Young-ji, and An Yu-jin appeared on the Chattering with Nah segment on channel fullmoon. With the four members planning a trip together and some cast members genuinely attempting to obtain a driver’s license, Chattering with Nah effectively became both a content production meeting and a prologue for “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom.” Considering that channel fullmoon has around 6.5 million subscribers, it was an extremely impactful prologue. In fact, the curiosity about whether the cast members actually obtained their driver's license over the three months translated into heightened anticipation for “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom.” Furthermore, Shorts featuring the cast having fun were uploaded on channel fullmoon. The main episodes and Shorts serve as previews and behind-the-scenes content for each other, enhancing the show’s authenticity and buzz on their own. The main episodes are longer, varying in length from about one to two hours. In “Earth Arcade,” there’s constant movement between various international locations, with new foods and numerous game scenes continuously appearing. In contrast, “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom” features these moments arranged in a much looser manner, focusing instead on scenes that reveal the cast members’ authentic conversations and friendship. According to producer-director Kim Ye Seul, this was only made possible with the production team’s intention to install as many stationary cameras as possible and stay out of the frame, as well as the clearly targeted audience of YouTube viewers, or subscribers. When the style of YouTube-born variety shows merged with the concept of the subscriber as an audience, something similar yet different from traditional TV variety shows emerged. “Earth Arcade’s Vroom Vroom” is likely an answer to what can be created when legacy media producers absorb the grammar of YouTube. Anything or anyone can lead to unexpected new developments at any time. These entertainment shows, which can’t yet be defined by a fixed format, represent the current style of YouTube. As the faces we used to see on television began appearing on YouTube, a new kind of “reality” entertainment shows started to surface. A completely new era has begun.