K-pop star's checkup video sparks medical ad dispute
Miyeon of K-pop girl group I-dle undergoes a medical checkup. Captured from Jeondosa's YouTube channel
Producers of YouTube show Jeondosa denies allegations of illegal medical advertising after featuring the K-pop star
A YouTube video showing Miyeon of K-pop girl group i-dle undergoing a medical checkup has sparked controversy, prompting the production team to deny that the content was sponsored or promotional.
The production team behind YouTube wellness show Jeondosa issued a statement Tuesday clarifying "potential misunderstandings." The producers said the program was designed to present stories about health, beauty and wellness, adding that the episode was created to document the cast member's actual checkup experience rather than promote a particular medical clinic.
"We did not receive any request from the clinic where the filming took place to advertise, promote or produce the content," the producers said. "We also did not receive any financial compensation or economic support, such as production costs, advertising fees or sponsorship fees."
The team said it paid for Miyeon's checkup and medical costs, emphasizing it had no intention to promote any specific medical facility or personnel.
The producers noted that certain scenes identifying the clinic were blurred during re-editing. The team pledged to conduct more thorough checks during planning, production and pre-release screening.
The dispute arose after the show released an episode on Sept. 1 showing Miyeon undergoing her first gastroscopy. A viewer subsequently questioned whether the footage violated medical advertising rules under the Medical Service Act, citing the visible clinic name.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.