Former APRIL’s Naeun Hit With Hidden Sponsorship Accusations Over Video With KwakTube
Nearly a week ago, former APRIL member Lee Naeun appeared in a vlog with popular travel YouTuber KwakTube (real name Kwak Joon Bin), sparking a massive controversy.
Lee Naeun, who was previously accused of bullying her groupmate Lee Hyunjoo, has mostly stayed away from the public eye since the controversy broke. Her appearance on KwakTube’s channel, which has over 2 million subscribers, was not taken well by netizens.
The video, which ended up getting removed, continues to bring troubles for both Lee and Kwak. On Monday, September 23, the Fair Trade Commission of South Korea shared that the two were facing accusations of undisclosed financial relationship involved in the travel vlog.
A netizen has registered a complaint with the National Petition System, accusing KwakTube of flouting the Act on Fair Labeling and Advertising. The petitioner claimed that the supposed spontaneous Rome trip of Lee and Kwak was pre-arranged by Lee’s agency, Namoo Actors, to improve Lee Naeun’s public image. This would make the collaboration an implicit contract which had to be discosed under advertising laws.
The petitioner’s complaint was based on the rule which stipulates that content creators are bound to disclose any financial interests with sponsors to their audience while promoting any brand or product in their videos. If there was indeed any financial transaction between KwakTube and Lee Naeun, Kwak’s YouTube channel could be found violating the law for failing to disclose that.
Lee Naeun’s agency, however, has refuted these allegations.
There was no financial transaction involved. KwakTube covered all travel expenses, and the trip was initiated by him. Lee Na-eun participated with her agency’s permission.
— Namoo Actors
You can read more about the video and the subsequent controversy in detail right here.
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