"Do We Really Have to Go This Far?"... K-pop Singer Ventures into 'Adult Platform'

As Part of Album Promotion

Singer Park Jaebeom (37) has sparked controversy as the first K-pop artist to create an 'OnlyFans' account. OnlyFans is a social networking service (SNS) that originated in the UK and is known for not restricting the level of adult content. However, as the platform has grown, it has recently been reported that famous pop stars and athletes have also been active on it.

Park Jaebeom reportedly created an OnlyFans account and posted his first message on the 24th. On that day, he expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your support," and added, "Sometimes everyone needs something a little different. I'm happy to be here."

He also posted several photos of himself. These included pictures of him lying on a bed shirtless wearing women's underwear, and similarly shirtless photos taken while in a sauna. He promoted the post on other SNS platforms such as Instagram and X as well.

Singer Jay Park. [Source=Jay Park Instagram]

Park Jaebeom's bold move is said to be part of promoting his new album. However, this is the first time a K-pop singer has created and actively used an OnlyFans account. While some reactions describe it as groundbreaking, others criticize it as excessive noise marketing. Among netizens both domestically and internationally, responses varied, including comments like "It's a new attempt," "He is brave," "Is it really necessary to go this far?" and "If it were a female singer, this would never have been allowed."

Meanwhile, OnlyFans is an SNS founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stokely, gaining attention from the start for its policy of not regulating adult content. The service operates on a subscription basis. Accounts are divided into 'creators' who upload content and 'fans' who pay monthly subscription fees to access the content. The business model allocates 80% of total revenue to creators and 20% to OnlyFans.

According to data submitted to the UK Companies House, OnlyFans' total creator revenue reached $5.6 billion (approximately 7.784 trillion KRW) as of 2022, with the parent company's operating profit reaching $440 million (approximately 611 billion KRW). The number of subscribers has surpassed 200 million. As the platform gained global popularity, famous pop stars such as Cardi B and Beyonc? have also created accounts and use them for promotional activities.

However, controversies surrounding content on the platform persist. Because anyone can create an account and upload videos, there have been cases of illegal filming videos being distributed. In the US, out of 128 illegal activities identified on OnlyFans in 2022, 8 resulted in guilty verdicts.