'Yeongyang Chili Hot Festival' Promotional Video Posted
50 Million Won Donation for Channel Logo Change
Pisik University cast members visited Yeongyang-gun last May and are eating jelly. [Photo by Pisik University YouTube channel capture]
'Pisick University,' which caused a stir due to a 'regional disparagement controversy,' is now promoting Yeongyang-gun. After the controversy, the channel's subscriber count dropped by more than 300,000, and the downward trend continued, so it appears they are taking a direct approach to overcome it.
On the 20th, a video titled 'Hello, this is the Mayor of Yeongyang-gun' was uploaded to the Pisick University YouTube channel.
The video features Mayor O Do-chang of Yeongyang-gun, who said, "Recently, during the flood damage in our region, we received a lot of help through in-kind donations delivered by Pisick University," and explained, "Pisick University is making efforts to help the development and promotion of Yeongyang-gun." Mayor O added, "This time, I would like to officially propose promoting Yeongyang-gun's tourist attractions and its representative festival, the 'Yeongyang Chili Hot Festival.' I look forward to fun and informative promotion of Yeongyang-gun in the style of Pisick University. I wish Pisick University continued success."
Following this, comedians Jeong Jae-hyung, Kim Min-su, and Lee Yong-joo, who appear on Pisick University, introduce Yeongyang-gun's tourist spots, and a schedule of upcoming promotional content is shown. The promotional video for the 'Yeongyang Chili Hot Festival' will be uploaded from the 29th to the 31st.
The YouTube channel profile was also changed to Yeongyang-gun. Pisick University replaced the profile picture by engraving 'Yeongyang' onto the existing logo and decorated the channel background with an image symbolizing collaboration.
Meanwhile, on May 11, Pisick University posted a video titled 'I came to Yeongyang, the smallest city in Gyeongsang-do,' which sparked controversy over regional disparagement. In particular, one cast member's comment about red ginseng jelly bought at a mart, saying, "Grandma flavor. Like tearing off grandma's flesh," became problematic.
Also, while eating hamburger buns at a bakery in Yeongyang, comments like "They said there’s no Lotteria here. Young people want to eat hamburgers, so they eat this instead," and "Isn't it because they can't eat it that they do this?" raised suspicions of disparagement. At a baekban (set meal) restaurant, a remark mocking the menu as "There’s no special dish. If you eat only this every day, that hamburger would taste like honey," also caused criticism.
In response to the flood of criticism over 'regional disparagement,' Pisick University deleted the video and posted an apology. However, the subscriber count dropped from 3.18 million to 2.87 million, and channel views plummeted, continuing the downward trend.
Attention is focused on whether Pisick University, taking a direct approach to the controversy, can succeed in reviving the channel.
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