[Sportschosun Kim So-hee] Travel YouTuber Pani Bottle has drawn attention after comments he made about celebrities entering YouTube, and he has now offered a lighthearted explanation himself.
On the 15th, Pani Bottle posted a screenshot of a related article on his social media account and wrote, "I'm also doing YouTube because I smelled money," adding, "Please stop! I said it as a joke." As the remarks drew more attention than expected, he responded in his trademark witty style.
The controversy began with "2026 YouTube Symposium," a piece of content recently released on the Egg Is Coming YouTube channel Channel Fifteenya. In the video, while discussing what defines a YouTuber, Pani Bottle said, "There are only three people here that I can recognize as real YouTubers: me, Mimiminu, and Chimchakman," drawing laughter.
He then said, "Singers and comedians have already achieved success in their own fields and come to YouTube starting from third base, then mistakenly think they are good at baseball," adding, "We are the ones who really started from the bottom, getting singles and walking our way out from first base."
He also added, "Celebrities are people who came in because they smelled money on YouTube." Na Yeong-seok, who was present at the scene, as well as Kang Min-kyung, Eom Ji-yoon, and Kwak Beom, all reacted strongly, adding to the laughter. But after the video was released, the remarks quickly spread across online communities and social media, prompting a range of interpretations.
Seemingly aware of the reaction, Pani Bottle referred to himself and joked, "I'm also doing YouTube because I smelled money." In effect, he was indirectly explaining that his comments were made in a variety-show context, not as criticism or condemnation of any specific person.
Internet users also continued the debate, with reactions such as, "Wasn't it just a joke?" "That's Pani Bottle's signature style," and "It's funny that he even roasted himself."
Meanwhile, Pani Bottle is a creator who built mainstream recognition through travel content, and he has recently been expanding his presence by appearing on a variety of entertainment programs.
