It is a provocative current affairs talk show called"Gyeomson is Nothing," fronted by an irreverent host, Kim Ou-joon, whose lack of deference to authority is making waves in a country where traditional media has a reputation for respectful coverage.
It highlighted in a March human rights report the case of broadcaster MBC, which is being sued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry for a story in which it claimed the South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol had been caught on a hot mic making less-than complimentary remarks about US lawmakers. Industry observers say the program's popularity -- it has more than 1 million subscribers and can rake in donations of 90 million won a day -- reflects a changing media landscape.
Most traditional media outlets now run their own YouTube channels, as do an increasing number of smaller, independent companies, of all political persuasions -- like the right-wing Tubeshin and the left-wing Newstapa . Last year the former leader of Yoon's party hit out at what he said was the"evil influence" of YouTube channels.YouTube channels are seen as offering a space for free speech that is all the more important given the concerns voiced by the US State Department.
CNN asked the presidential office to comment on its recent defamation lawsuits, but it has not yet received a reply.It's a dynamic that's not lost on Kim. His previous show, the publicly funded"News Factory" program, had for years been Seoul's top-rated radio program . But its oppositional style angered conservatives, as did its coverage of the scandal surrounding former President Park. When a conservative administration returned to power in 2022 , its days were numbered.