Kim Seon-tae, who gained prominence as “Chungju Man,” is drawing explosive attention after launching a new YouTube channel following his retirement.
Kim opened the channel, titled “Kim Seon-tae,” on March 2. News of the launch spread more widely on March 3, and subscriber numbers surged after he uploaded his first video.
As of 6:45 a.m. on March 4, the channel had about 586,000 subscribers. The figure is notable given that only two days had passed since the launch and the channel had just one video.
After Kim signaled his intention to leave public service, speculation circulated about possible offers, including from the Cheong Wa Dae, a move into politics, or recruitment by major companies and entertainment agencies. Kim instead chose to pursue YouTube.
In the channel’s first video, he said he had received “more offers than I deserve,” but started YouTube because he wanted to work “a bit more freely.” He also said he “wanted to make more money,” speaking candidly about his decision.
The official YouTube channel of Chungju City, his former workplace, drew attention by commenting on the first video, “Seon-tae, my Seon-tae.” After news broke that Kim had submitted his resignation, Chungju City also posted a “chasing” video that became a talking point.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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