[Sportschosun, Reporter Kim Jun-seok] A doctor-turned-YouTuber has come under fire for using the phrase "You will definitely get liver cancer" in a video thumbnail featuring broadcaster Shin Dong-yeop and singer Sung Si-kyung.
The doctor YouTuber, who has about 110,000 subscribers, released a video about three months ago titled "People Who Are Prone to Liver Cancer, as Warned by a Specialist."
In the video, he mentioned Shin Dong-yeop, Sung Si-kyung, and Ji Sang-ryeol, who are widely known as heavy drinkers in the entertainment industry, and explained the link between drinking habits and liver health, as well as the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.
The problem was the video thumbnail. It prominently featured photos of Shin Dong-yeop and Sung Si-kyung drinking, along with the phrase, "If you are this kind of person, you will definitely get liver cancer."
Some internet users expressed discomfort, saying, "They are not actually liver cancer patients, so is it right to use their photos like this?" "Using celebrities' photos in a disease-related thumbnail is excessive," and "Just looking at the thumbnail makes it seem as if a specific person is being singled out."
Criticism also followed over the use of a specific celebrity's image in content related to disease, with some saying, "Hasn't this gone too far?" and "It looks like sensational clickbait."
On the other hand, some argued that the criticism was excessive, saying, "He only used a widely known heavy-drinker image to explain the risks of drinking habits," and "He does not appear to have intended to slander anyone in particular."
narusi@sportschosun.com
