"Over 10,000 Sacrificed, but the Fight Continues" Iranian Model and YouTuber Appeals

Iran's Anti-Government Protests Intensify
Escalation Leads to Bloodshed

Hoda Niku, an Iranian model and YouTuber active in South Korea, has appealed in Korean for greater attention to the anti-government protests in Iran.

On January 11, Hoda Niku uploaded a video titled "For the Freedom of Iran" on her YouTube channel. She said, "I turned on the camera because I wanted to deliver an important message," and added, "The people of Iran have held countless protests for a long time in pursuit of freedom and democracy. During this process, the government has repeatedly used strong physical force to control people, resulting in many tragic sacrifices."

Hoda Niku, an Iranian model active in South Korea, recently called for attention to the anti-government protests occurring in Iran. Hoda Niku Instagram

She went on to explain, "The government is blocking the internet and even restricting basic phone calls to prevent those seeking change from communicating."

In the video, Hoda Niku delivered her message directly in Korean, asking for the attention and solidarity of Korean society. She emphasized, "As someone who loves both Iran and South Korea, I hope the voices of the Iranian people will be heard more widely. Simply paying attention to and supporting news about Iran gives us tremendous strength."

Furthermore, on January 13, Hoda Niku shared a video on Instagram showing Iranian citizens participating in anti-government protests. She added, "More than 10,000 people have lost their lives, but the people of Iran are still holding on to hope for freedom and continue to fight. This video captures one of the most courageous moments in modern history."

On the 8th (local time), cars on the streets of Tehran, the capital of Iran, were burning amid protests. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

Hoda Niku was the third-place winner of Miss Iran in 2018. She appeared on KBS1's "My Neighbor, Charles" in 2020 and explained that she came to South Korea because, although she grew up as the only daughter in a wealthy family in Iran and lacked nothing, she disliked the restrictions imposed on women, such as being required to wear a hijab and facing many prohibitions. She is currently an influencer with 520,000 followers on Instagram.

Meanwhile, in Iran, where anti-government protests continue, authorities are cutting off internet access to isolate protestors from the outside world. This unprecedented shutdown appears to be affecting even media outlets linked to the Iranian government and security agencies. According to a recent CNN report, the frequency of updates from these outlets has dropped significantly since the internet was blocked.