Celebrity Children on YouTube: A Double-Edged Sword for Views and Privacy Concerns

The trend of celebrities revealing their children's faces on YouTube has become a 'view booster,' with videos quickly amassing hundreds of thousands of views. While revealing a child's face is a personal choice, some argue that more caution is needed.

Recently, actress Oh Yeon-soo unveiled her eldest son's face for the first time on her YouTube channel. The video, released on the 10th, garnered 220,000 views, sparking significant interest. In the video, Oh mentioned, "I'll reveal my second son's face when we have more subscribers."

On the 2nd, former rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae shared her 15-month-old son's face on YouTube. The video titled 'First Reveal of Son Yeon-jae's 15-Month-Old Son with Charming Lips' reached 210,000 views and remains the most viewed on her channel. Son explained, "I wanted to capture our family's daily life on YouTube," adding, "The real star of the channel is my 15-month-old son."

Actress Lee Min-jung also revealed her son Joon-hoo's face on YouTube for the first time. In April, she uploaded a video titled 'Finally Fulfilling the Wish: First Reveal of MJ♥BH's 10-Year-Old Son,' showcasing her son's childhood moments. The video received over 2.22 million views, generating a massive response.

Viewers commented, "Celebrity children are indeed different," and "It's healing to watch," but criticism followed. Some viewers remarked, "Revealing a child's face sure boosts views," and "If I were the child, I wouldn't want my face plastered on YouTube," while others noted, "Celebrities are revealing their children's faces too easily these days."

Professor Jung Yoon-kyung of Catholic University, President of the Korean Society of Developmental Psychology, told TenAsia, "When parents reveal their children's faces online, it can lead to psychological issues such as interpersonal sensitivity, social anxiety, and rejection sensitivity." She added, "Exposing too much of their private lives online can negatively impact their future. Young children lack decision-making skills and judgment, so caution is crucial."

Professor Jung further emphasized, "While it's considered normal to overprotect children in the real world, they are often neglected in the cyber world. The issue of revealing children's faces should not be taken lightly."

Revealing a child's face online can cast an unintended long shadow on their growth. Parents need to carefully consider what choices truly benefit their children.

Jung Se-yoon, TenAsia Reporter yoon@tenasia.co.kr