≪Choi Ji-ye’s Epilogue≫
Reporter Choi Ji-ye of Ten Asia objectively and keenly points out events that have occurred throughout the entertainment industry. We carefully analyze the ‘glitch’ you missed from a reporter’s perspective. Jazz pianist Kim Ga-on (47) personally announced his divorce from actress Kang Seong-yeon (47). It’s through your own SNS. Song Ji-eun (33), a singer and actress from the group Secret, also directly announced her relationship with YouTuber Park Wi (36) through SNS.
It has been a long time since SNS became popular as a means of communicating with others. Celebrities, for whom relationships and intimacy with the public are important, are increasingly revealing their daily lives through SNS and communicating directly with their fans.
Just 10 years ago, celebrities' private lives were often under the control of their agencies. A celebrity's private life, such as dating, marriage, or divorce, was a very sensitive issue not only for the person involved, but also for their agency or manager, and the public. There were many cases where young stars who enjoyed the greatest popularity were swayed by even a small dating rumor, and their image suffered a major blow. Actors who played villains in dramas or movies were often criticized and treated poorly even when they went to the market.
Time has passed quickly, and our perceptions have developed in tandem, so now there is a tendency for both agencies and the public to respect celebrities' private lives to a certain degree. A cool perception has emerged that recognizes the private lives of celebrities within a certain range, unless they have committed a serious violation of morality or committed a crime.
Accordingly, agencies also tend to respect celebrities' opinions regarding the level of disclosure regarding romantic relationships, marriages, and divorces, unless there are special cases. A representative example is the “private life cannot be confirmed” position, which is commonly seen in articles confirming the privacy of celebrities. In addition, in matters such as marriage and divorce, there are many cases where the scope and method desired by the celebrity is accepted.
Perhaps thanks to a situation where social trends and awareness regarding respect for stars' privacy have developed significantly, the public disclosure of celebrities' private lives through SNS has become much more confident and free. Choi Min-hwan (31) of the group FT Island, who recently broke up after five years of marriage, and Yul-hee (26), a broadcaster from the girl group Laboum, also announced their divorce through social media at the same time. Former Sweet Sorrow member Seong Jin-hwan (42) and singer Oh Ji-eun (42) also formalized their divorce in the same way.
The days of hearing about celebrities' private lives through news or articles seem to have passed. Recently, many people are choosing self-management in their private areas. This is the latest entertainment industry where sharing personal life through SNS has become a trend.
Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr