YouTube star stops online activities over fake luxury goods controversy

Social media star Song Ji-ah apologizes for wearing counterfeit luxury brand goods in a YouTube video clip, Tuesday. Screenshot from Song's YouTube channel

By Kim Rahn

Song Ji-ah, a YouTuber who rose to fame following her appearance on Netflix's Korean reality show, "Single's Inferno," has announced a halt to all online activities, after a controversy arose over her wearing of counterfeited luxury brand items on the show and in her social media clips.

She posted a video on her YouTube channel, FreeZia, early Tuesday morning, apologizing for the stir she caused.

"I admit all the rumors about the fake goods, and everything is my fault. … I apologize for damaging the value of the brands and disappointing many people who supported me," she said in the clip.

Song said that after she began to purchase counterfeit products, people liked her look with such goods, so she continued featuring them out of the desire to get more reactions from people. "I'm regretting it, and I feel pathetic when looking back on myself in the past. I should have paid more attention to my inner self, when so many people showed support, but I focused on my outer self."

The social media star asked people to stop criticizing her family or acquaintances, adding that she is solely to blame.

"I'll close all my social media channels to take time for self-refection. I'll take responsibility for my faults," she said.

Earlier this month, another YouTuber raised questions about the authenticity of the goods Song had been wearing in many of her videos and on the Netflix dating show. Similar questions and claims have since emerged in other online communities that many of her luxury brand clothes and accessories, supposedly from Chanel, Dior, Versace, Van Cleef and Arpels, were knockoffs.

Song then admitted on her Instagram, Jan. 17, the suspicions were true. She took down the clips showing the counterfeit goods from social media, including her YouTube channel, which had 1.9 million subscribers.

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