Official YouTube Channel of Chungju, "ChungTV"
Within Four Days of Civil Servant Kim Seontae's Resignation
Subscriber Count Drops from 971,000 to 789,000
After civil servant Kim Seontae of the New Media Team, known as "Chungju Man," who has been leading ChungTV, the official YouTube channel of Chungju, Chungbuk, expressed his intention to resign, more than 180,000 subscribers left the channel.
According to the city on the 16th, as of 5 p.m. that day, ChungTV had 789,000 subscribers. Compared with the roughly 971,000 subscribers it had on the 12th, the number fell by more than 180,000 in just four days. Since the news of his resignation became known, tens of thousands of subscribers have been leaving the channel each day.
On the 13th, Kim submitted his resignation letter to the HR department and then went on extended leave. He is reportedly scheduled to complete his leave by the 28th and then be processed as voluntarily resigning from public office. In a phone call with Yonhap News on the 13th, he said, "My goal was to reach 1 million subscribers, and I think I have almost achieved that goal. I submitted my resignation because I wanted to take on a new challenge." He went on to explain the background of his resignation, saying, "Nothing has been decided, but I want to continue living in Chungju and try new challenges in broadcasting or on YouTube. I concluded that it would be impossible to pursue new challenges while remaining in public service."
As the number of ChungTV subscribers, which once approached 1 million, dropped sharply in a short period of time, officials inside the city hall have been unable to hide their dismay. A city official said, "A large number of subscribers left during the holiday period, so we are also taken aback," adding, "Even though he is the key figure symbolizing ChungTV, we did not expect this many subscribers to leave."
Kim, who has been active under the nickname "Chungju Man," gained a strong response for his witty video composition and candid speaking style. ChungTV is credited with expanding its subscriber base through short-form planning, its unique "B-grade" sensibility, and on-the-ground style editing, and has been noted as a case that brought change to public institution public-relations practices.
In recognition of these achievements, he received a fast-track promotion from level 9, which he entered as in October 2016, to level 6 on January 2024, just 7 years and 3 months later. At the time, Kim said, "I feel sorry for the many staff members who are quietly doing their work."
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