Singer MC MONG and Kim Jung-hoon, formerly of UN, among other entertainers who once enjoyed great popularity, are being widely spotted on TikTok. While many entertainers chose TikTok to communicate with overseas fans, attention is drawn to the fact that many former stars who caused controversies and disappeared from the domestic entertainment industry have been widely spotted on TikTok.
On the 26th, social media and online communities unexpectedly ignited over TikTok. It was the aftermath of Korean entertainers being widely spotted on the rapidly growing SNS platform TikTok, which has grown rapidly centered on China and the United States. In particular, many still well-known entertainers in Korea whose names alone are recognizable were included, drawing even more attention.
The hottest topic was MC MONG. Even recently, he drew intense interest over various personal life controversies such as an alleged affair with Cha Ga-won, co-founder of former agency 100 (One Hundred), chairman of p_Arc Group, and allegations of prostitution at his home. Ignoring the personal life controversies, his appearing to chat with fans via TikTok live sparked heated debate.
Lee Sung-jin, formerly of NRG, was also smiling as he conducted a live. Despite past controversies such as drunk driving and gambling, Lee Sung-jin continued broadcasting activities but effectively stopped activities after allegations of being ostracized by NRG members. After marrying and having a son, he indicated intentions to return in multiple YouTube contents, but ultimately could not be found on broadcasts. On TikTok, he was sharing updates with a smile, mainly with Chinese fans who remember NRG's heyday as a Hallyu star.
Kim Jung-hoon, formerly of UN, a singer and actor, also drew attention with his TikTok live updates. Kim Jung-hoon effectively halted domestic entertainment industry activities after personal life controversies including two drunk driving incidents and an ex-girlfriend's abortion. However, he too put personal controversies aside and greeted overseas fans on TikTok while sharing updates. Since Kim Jung-hoon also worked in Japan, Japanese fans seemed to make up the majority.
Park Kyung, a member of idol group Block B, was also talking with overseas fans through TikTok live. Having returned after past school violence controversies, Park Kyung was talking with overseas fans from various countries about the team and his solo activities on behalf of Block B, which is in a full-group activity hiatus.
Meanwhile, Kim Sang-hyuk, formerly of Click-B, was also conducting live broadcasts on TikTok, even using filters and showing skilled hosting. He too attracted attention because personal issues such as drunk driving and divorce made him rarely seen on Korean broadcasts.
In addition, there were entertainers who, despite being active in Korea, conducted TikTok live broadcasts regardless of personal life controversies. These included Kim Hyung-jun, formerly of SS501, who was accused of sexual assault but was cleared after cross-suits and a legal battle, Oh Seung-yoon, who overcame drunk driving controversies and continues to act, and Woo Tae-woon, a rapper from 남녀공학 and the older brother of another Block B member Zico, all of whom were sharing updates via TikTok.
In this way, a variety of stars were widely spotted on overseas online SNS like TikTok. An entertainment industry source said, "In fact, TikTok is such a major platform that it is essential for entertainers trying to conduct overseas activities on TikTok in parallel. Many entertainers have already been communicating with overseas fans or generating revenue on TikTok, even though they were not widely known domestically until now."
Another music industry source added, "Entertainers who made their presence known on various SNS platforms such as Instagram and YouTube seem to be looking for outlets where they can speak and communicate more freely. TikTok is of course a major platform, but because it is oriented toward overseas fans, it may be relatively less burdensome than SNS platforms like Instagram or YouTube, which are widely known domestically and where even small mistakes can blow up."
[photo] OSEN DB, source: SNS.
[OSEN]