The popular series "Long-term dating" on YouTube channel Shortbox continued to generate buzz with a wedding concept, but it has been revealed that the video was actually the finale, leaving some disappointed.
Comedian Kim Won-hoon recently revealed a wedding invitation on social media with Um Ji-yoon, announcing a surprise wedding. The invitation said they held the ceremony on April 1 at a Gangnam wedding hall.
But it turned out to be an April Fools' Day piece of content and an event that decorated the finale of the "Long-term dating" series rather than a real marriage. Shortbox said, "We expressed the culmination of a 15-year-long Long-term dating narrative as an offline event in the form of a real wedding," and invited 150 guests through subscriber stories.
In the process, some pointed out that Kim Won-hoon is already a married man who wed a non-celebrity wife in 2022, questioning whether content that adopts a format similar to a real wedding is appropriate. On the other hand, some criticized the somewhat sensitive reaction of saying, "Content should be seen as content." Positive responses also followed, given it was the fictional world of the content.
The event was reported to have been carried out based on subscribers' stories, beyond a simple setup. Kim Won-hoon said, "I felt that Long-term dating was not just content but a story that contained many people's time and hearts," and added, "I am grateful to the subscribers who helped create this moment."
Above all, Kim Won-hoon addressed the controversy as if to dispel it, saying, "I wanted to finish 'Long-term dating,' which made Shortbox and us possible, in the most meaningful way," and added, "I am also grateful to my wife, who supported this event more than anyone and rejoiced with me," drawing attention.
The "Long-term dating" series is a signature content of Shortbox; the opening video "Shall we go to a motel?" surpassed 18 million views and gained huge popularity. Through this, Kim Won-hoon, Um Ji-yoon and Jo Jin-se gained public recognition, and the channel also grew, surpassing 3 million subscribers.
[Photo] SNS
[OSEN]