Pisik University Regional Disparagement Controversy: Interview with County Governor O Do-chang
"Many regrets... It's a good place, so please visit often"
Oh Do-chang, the mayor of Yeongyang County in Gyeongbuk, the region involved in the controversy over regional disparagement by the comedy YouTube channel ‘Pisik University,’ has directly expressed his position.
In an interview video released on the 17th by Maeil Newspaper’s YouTube channel ‘Lee Dong-jae’s News Cabinet,’ Mayor Oh said, “When I opened my eyes, Yeongyang had become a star,” but added, “there were many disappointing parts.” This was in response to the controversy surrounding the video titled ‘I Came to Yeongyang, the Smallest City in Gyeongsang Province,’ released by Pisik University on the 11th, which was accused of disparaging the region.
YouTube channel Pisik University 'Gyeongbuk Yeongyang' episode [Image source=Captured from Pisik University YouTube channel]
In the video, the cast visited a bakery in Yeongyang and ate ‘hamburger bread,’ mocking it by saying, “Young people want to eat hamburgers, but since there is no Lotteria, they can’t, so they eat this instead.”
They also made disparaging remarks about Yeongyang’s specialty, traditional blueberry jelly, saying, “It feels like biting into a grandmother’s flesh,” and while looking around a stream, they said it “looks like sewage water.” Furthermore, the names of the bakery and the restaurant they harshly criticized were shown in the video, which was also pointed out. Other comments included, “(Yeongyang is) personally very boring,” and “I felt my limits as a comedian.”
By the 18th, the video had surpassed 2.87 million views, and netizens criticized it as “excessively rude and vulgar.” Following the controversy, Pisik University’s subscriber count dropped by about 40,000, from 3.18 million to 3.14 million as of the 18th.
In the interview, Mayor Oh explained, “Although Yeongyang is lacking in some ways, it is a paradise in today’s world where it is hard to see stars, and you can breathe natural air in the birch forest,” adding, “It is the longest-living county in the country with the highest number of centenarians.”
Yeongyang County Governor Oh Do-chang expressing his position on the regional disparagement controversy involving Pisik University [Image source=Maeil Shinmun YouTube 'Lee Dong-jae's News Cabinet' video capture]
He continued, “Although life is busy, if you come to Yeongyang, you can truly feel the happiness of taking a deep breath,” and urged, “Like the birch tree’s flower language, which means ‘I am waiting for you,’ we are waiting for you to visit. Please come often.”
Pisik University has not issued a separate statement regarding this controversy.
Pisik University produces web entertainment shows such as ‘Pisik Show,’ ‘Narak Quiz Show,’ and ‘Made in Gyeongsangdo.’ At the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards held last year, it became the first YouTube content to win the TV category entertainment award.
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