Actors Ko Hyun-jung and Park Jun-hyung have been shocked by malicious fake news mentioning their names. Both individuals became victims of an absurd rumor regarding a "death news" story, raising concerns among fans.
Ko Hyun-jung released "Ko Hyun-jung Vlog 9" through her official YouTube channel on the 21st, updating fans for the first time in six months. In the video, Ko shares her participation in a fashion brand event held in New York City as she reconnects with her fans after a long time.
She said, "I am sorry for not being able to work on vlogs for more than four months," adding, "I had to take a break due to health issues. After recovering my health, I wanted to share more fun stories and my daily life that fans have been curious about."
However, a shocking revelation was added towards the end of the video. The production team revealed, "Rumors of Ko Hyun-jung's death spread while she was taking a break from YouTube," to which Ko responded, "Really? Was there such a thing? I’m in shock..." The video then displayed the subtitle, "Ko Hyun-jung addresses the death rumors; continued in the next episode," indicating that they would start addressing the related issues seriously. The video also included a thumbnail of a YouTube video that falsely claimed Ko Hyun-jung had died, shocking viewers.
Comedian Park Jun-hyung also suffered similar harm. On the 31st, he shared a message from fellow comedian Nam Hee-seok on his social media. Nam sent a link to a fake news video about Park's death and joked, "I didn’t contact you, so I couldn’t come," to which Park humorously replied, "I’m sorry I didn’t inform you of my obituary. If I’m going to go at 51, I should have let you know in advance..."
When Nam Hee-seok said, "I hope to be born as a blender in the next life," Park Jun-hyung reacted with surprise, saying, "A blender?" Even amid the lighthearted jokes, the absurdity of the fake news was clearly highlighted. Park shared this message, thanking his supporters with the words, "I am still doing well. Thank you for your support," along with the hashtag, "#FakeNewsOut and it really feels like I’ll live long, the icon of longevity."
Fake death news targeting celebrities is not a recent issue. Figures like Nah Hoon-ja, Kang Ho-dong, Shin Gi-ru, and Hong Seo-beom have also suffered similar harm. Although all of them have promptly clarified misunderstandings, the harm caused by reckless YouTube-generated fake news remains at a serious level.
Ko Hyun-jung and Park Jun-hyung, who were caught up in fake news, responded calmly yet wittily, but it is now time for a strong response and institutional measures against the repeated fake death rumors.
[Photo] OSEN DB, YouTube capture
[OSEN]