YouTube Comedy Channel Falls From Grace After Mocking Small Town

SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) – A popular YouTube comedy channel that had gained a large following for its irreverent humor has come crashing down amid controversy over insensitive remarks made about a small rural town during the filming of one of its videos.

The channel, known as Psick Univ, had earned a reputation as a successful example of web-based entertainment, amassing over 3 million subscribers with its unique brand of comedic content. However, the group has faced intense backlash and a significant subscriber loss after an episode that drew criticism for demeaning and mocking the town of Yeongyang in North Gyeongsang Province. 

The contentious video, titled “We Came to Yeongyang, the Smallest City in Gyeongsang Province,” was posted on May 11. It was part of the channel’s “Made in Gyeongsang” series, which had previously highlighted the cuisine and warm atmospheres of other cities in the region. But in the Yeongyang episode, the hosts’ remarks took a derisive turn.

At one point while eating a hamburger bun from a local bakery, a host quipped, “There’s no Lotteria (fast food chain) here. The young people wanting burgers have to make do with this instead.” Referring to a blueberry jelly purchased at a local grocery store, another mocked, “It tastes like something a grandmother would make. Like chewing on a grandmother’s flesh.” 

The insensitive comments extended beyond just the town’s food offerings. When visiting a restaurant serving traditional Korean banchan side dishes, the hosts scoffed, “The menu has no distinguishing features,” adding, “If you had to eat just this every day, that hamburger bun would taste like heaven.”

The disparaging tone even targeted ordinary locals. At one point, the video zoomed in on an individual on the street, prompting audible laughter from the hosts. 

As the backlash grew, with viewers decrying the “disrespectful” and “unsophisticated” nature of the remarks, Psick Univ’s subscriber count dropped by around 170,000. A week after the episode aired, the channel issued an apology, stating, “We apologize to everyone who was hurt by our immaturity.”

But Psick Univ is not alone in facing criticism over inappropriate content from entertainers on YouTube and other online video platforms. Veteran comedian Lee Kyung-kyu was embroiled in controversy after an episode of his YouTube series “Respect Refrigerator” was accused of promoting hatred towards a particular dog breed. 

Despite being billed as showcasing exemplary “petiquette,” Lee repeatedly singled out indigenous Korean breed dogs, asserting they should be muzzled in a break from regulations – while leaving larger unmuzzled dogs unmentioned. 

The uneven treatment sparked an uproar, with viewers slamming the video for “inciting hatred towards Korean dogs” and pointing out the contradictory comments praising other large breeds as “cute.” Lee’s production team eventually apologized for “causing hurt by narrowing in on just Korean breed dog owners.” 

Controversies have even emerged around Coupang Play’s popular “SNL Korea” series. During the filming of season 5, episode 9 with host Kian84, the entertainer actually smoked indoors – resulting in a fine for violating national public health laws prohibiting smoking in certain public facilities. 

While online entertainment channels offer more leeway for creative experimentation compared to traditional broadcasters, cultural critics caution that many are going too far in pursuit of provocative viral content – allowing offensive or misleading material to be published unfiltered.

“In trying new tactics to grab attention through sensationalism, we’re seeing hate and rudeness proliferate online without proper filtering,” said culture critic Kim Seong-su. He emphasized that true comedy should “challenge authority and satirize the powerful” rather than “directing mockery towards the disadvantaged.”

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)