Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
More politicians become YouTubers to promote themselves
This captured image shows YouTube channel TV Hongka Cola featuring former Liberty Korea Party leader Hong Joon-pyo. / Courtesy of TV Hongka Cola
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
More South Korean politicians have been embracing YouTube as a means of communicating their “message” amid a quickly diversifying media landscape.
Hong Joon-pyo, former leader of the country's largest right-wing Liberty Korea Party (LKP), announced that he will open a YouTube account named “TV Hongka Cola” this month. It aims to release “opinionated content to balance” the media environment which he claims is favorable to the ruling party, he said on Facebook. He will release two news-related videos a week every Tuesday and Thursday from Dec. 18, that will possibly include livestreaming.
His return to the political scene has been largely anticipated among critics since his resignation after the opposition party's crushing defeat in the June local elections. He was a vocal politician who vehemently stood against the ruling government. Some conservatives call him “cider” or “sprite” as a euphemism for his tart remarks that give them a feeling of relief, as those beverages help relieve indigestion.
But not many expected he would open a YouTube channel as his next political step. Even before officially operating it, he has already attracted more than 2,000 subscribers.
His online video platform venture is in line with the change in people's news consumption.
YouTube, most used app in Korea
YouTube became a popular tool for people of all generations to get information.
As of August, YouTube was the most used mobile application by people of all ages, according to online marketing company Wiseapp.
Another internet marketing company MezzoMedia released a survey in November that showed the majority of respondents said they watch less television than last year as they use other devices to watch video content. About 1,000 respondents aged between 15 and 59 participated in the survey from Sept. 20 to Oct. 1. Surprisingly, more people in their 40s use mobile devices to watch videos than TV, from this year.
Those in their teens, or 35.7 percent, used YouTube for internet searches, while 33.7 percent used online search engines.
Lawmakers are actively creating YouTube videos to promote their activities.
Rep. Lee Un-ju of the Bareunmirae Party launched her YouTube account three months ago. She is known for her recent controversial remarks calling former President Park Chung-hee a genius, emerging as a popular conservative icon. She has about 47,000 subscribers. On the channel, Lee releases commentary videos over recent issues as well as videos of public broadcasting appearances or her political activities.
Lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea celebrate the launch of its broadcast studio “SSM” at its headquarters in this Nov. 11, file photo. / Korea Times file
Recently, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) launched its own YouTube channel and opened a broadcasting studio inside its headquarters to make online content including YouTube videos and radio broadcasts. It is called SSM, meaning “being used” (by people) in Korean. It has about 16,600 subscribers.
Besides political commentary, the channel will showcase video blogs, or vlogs, with lawmakers depicting their everyday lives.
In their first video, incumbent lawmakers including Rep. Park Joo-min, who graduated from Seoul University, gave tips to students about how to prepare before the nation's notorious college entrance exam, the College Scholastic Aptitude Test (CSAT).
The largest opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP), an early starter, has the most subscribers among the political parties. It has been operating its own channel since 2012, and now has about 32,300 subscribers. It releases the LKP's political activities and interviews with members of the public as well.
What is common among those channels are they are trying to seek direct communication with possible voters with various content.
Lee said in her first video that she started the channel because she wanted to show more of her activities that weren't covered in the media, and communicate directly with people.
Critics point out the reason behind the politicians' move is based on the change in the media landscape where YouTube has become one a powerful source of information that people actually use.
“YouTube can play a role to provide a source of information that people are curious about what is going on around their world,” said Kim Nam-doo, an analyst at the Korea Information Society Development Institute, in his October report.
He found that users watched more YouTube clips when political issues become a hotter topic than other stories. For example, before and after the June local elections and inter-Korean summits, news clips accounted for up to 30 percent of the most popular videos.
“In particular, it implies that YouTube's role to provide news content about politics could become more significant.”
Lee Taek-gwang, a professor at Kyung Hee University, was quoted as saying that “politicians cannot ignore the YouTube platform which has become a megatrend.” “It is a new way to expose themselves to voters. It will be an effective tool for conservative parties as people in their 50s and 60s use Youtube the most among the elder generations.”
Far-right conservatives popular on YouTube
A far-right conservative critic running his own Youtube channel, who declined to reveal his name, pointed out that the emergence of conservative figures on Youtube is due to the shift of the political regime to a liberal administration.
“Conservative figures are speaking up in online media, especially on YouTube as public media tends to release stories in favor of the ruling camp.”
He claimed that conservatives have lost their ground in public broadcasting and can freely express their opinion on YouTube as there is no screening there and subscribers also want to listen to their stories.
“Conservatives, especially middle-aged individuals, tend to choose to watch what they want to listen to. I've heard of popular conservative commentators making a living out of it. YouTube broadcast pays him about 40 million won monthly.”
He pointed out another reason for its tendency is because it is simple to make videos for anyone. It is well known that famous far-right conservative Cho Gab-je films his YouTube content with his smartphone. Cho has 175,000 subscribers.
Critics point out, however, the conservatives' emergence on YouTube could have a limited impact on a market.
“In order to expand, content released should be stories based on facts, rather than fake news, (conservative) YouTube content is missing that,” liberal political commentator Kim Yong-min said.