You are likely familiar with the people in the three pictures. What do they have in common? That is right. They are all celebrities on YouTube. Before achieving fame, they had jobs such as comedians and webtoon writers. These, then, are examples of individuals becoming very famous as they developed their specialties and became popular YouTubers. In this article, we will explore the influence that those who were not celebrities before becoming popular as YouTubers have through their jobs as YouTubers and what their characteristics are.

In the past, celebrities could be defined as singers, actors, comedians, etc. But by the 21st century, YouTubers and social media influencers could be categorized as celebrities. Their recent inclusion within the scope of the definition of celebrity has blurred the line between being a regular member of the public and being a celebrity. YouTubers can now be considered celebrities who have gained significant popularity in recent times.

YouTubers mainly gain popularity by attracting attention from ordinary people around them, or they are those that used to be icons themselves in the past, creating a "person with a second self" through numerous videos. Their identities remain clear, which is appealing to ordinary people. However, they are not just having fun and influencing people in positive ways. By continuing to project fixed, biased opinions on viewers, some of them have been criticized for championing one area and excluding the diversity of people from other cultures. In this regard, responsible behavior is imperative. Thus, what are the implications of thinking of these people as public figures, and what kind of safeguards are necessary?

First, we need to think about whether YouTubers have a sense of duty as public figures. They often appear on terrestrial programs besides YouTube, so they can be defined as public figures because they appear in various media. Therefore, as appearances in such media increase, they need to think carefully about their words and actions in consideration of their influence.

Second, their private lives must be respected. Before they became famous, they often shared their daily lives through videos and vlogs, and as the popularity of their channels grew, we could see that such videos were gradually being posted online less frequently. Therefore, they are in a situation where they have to protect their privacy. This is something that requires the efforts and respect of both celebrities and viewers.