One silver lining from the spending so much time at home is that we get to spend more time at home catching up and indulging on our favourite Korean television dramas, variety shows and music. And if recent shows such as It’s Okay To Not Be Okay and The Flower of Evil isn’t enough to appease your love for everything Hallyu Wave-related, then head to YouTube.
Many celebrities have taken to the social media platform to post videos that give us a sneak peek into their daily lives, affording us a more intimate understanding behind these famous people we only see on our screens. Ahead, 10 celebs ranging from Park Min-young to Park Seo-joon to watch and hit follow right now.
Many of us fell for Park Min-young after her roles in series such as What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018) and Her Private Life (2019). The channel started back in June this year and has racked up an impressive 10 million views with just 11 videos that mainly document her everyday life behind the camera. Her most popular video is the one above, where she shares the contents of her everyday bag. Besides makeup to touch up, she, like many of us now, carries with her hand sanitiser and face mask among her other essential products. In the same video, she also drops handy tips on how she keeps her makeup look fresh throughout the day so you’ll have to watch it to find out.
Former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung might be known for her icy demeanour. But once you’ve watched a couple of her videos, you’ll find that she’s as much as a goofball as the rest of us. Take this video with her sister, f(x)’s Krystal, for example. It shows both of them trying their hardest to dip their toes into creating content for TikTok with hilarious results ensuing. Other videos on Jessica’s channel include her sharing her beauty tips on how to create the perfect topknot to song covers to little glimpses into her busy globetrotting life.
We would be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t fallen for the charms of Park Seo-joon after his roles in productions including What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018) and Itaewon Class (2020). If you want to know how Park is like behind-the-scenes, then his YouTube channel is the perfect place to be at. And for those who love mukbangs, Park has several videos so you can eat as you watch him eat.
With a career spanning 12 years, IU is easily one of the most recognisable Korean celebrities in the world thanks to her extensive work across music and acting. Most recently, many of us caught her in Hotel Del Luna (2019) opposite Yeo Jin-goo. On YouTube, IU is also a behemoth and has racked over 35o million views since the channel started in late 2017. Her most recent video, above, is of her doing ASMR – or autonomous sensory meridian response – that is said to have relaxing properties.
One of the biggest Korean cultural export at the moment, Blackpink is a name that is known worldwide. Thai member Lisa is one-fourth of the popular girl group and is known for her dancing skills. Her channel, similarly, is a platform for her to show off her dancing prowess. Besides that, she also gives us small glimpses behind her glamorous lives as they travel around the world for concerts. Finally, Lisa’s content are short and easily digestible, with the longest video barely scratching the three minute mark.
Were you chasing the recently concluded Backstreet Rookie television series? If so, Ji Chang-wook would be a familiar face that you might have fallen in love with. His latest string of videos delves into the preparation he had undertaken for the role, which includes learning choreography and finding ways to stay cool while filming in hot summer weather, thereby giving us a deeper look into how TV magic is created. Other videos include him on his travels to places such as Jeju Island and Vietnam.
Dalgona coffee has taken the social media world by storm and it seems like Korean celebrities aren’t spared from recreating the drink. Here, Xia Junsu, an OG K-pop idol that many of us grew up fangirling over when he was back in TVXQ, attempts to create the labour-intensive dish. Other videos you can expect to find in his repertoire include vlogs, clips of his musical performances and music.
Sooyoung might not be the best singer in Girls’ Generation (that’s Taeyeon) or the best visual (Yoona) of the group, but she more than makes it up for it with her amazing wit and variety skills. That’s what you’ll be in for with her videos. Take the above one for example, where she interviews fellow labelmate U-Know Yunho from TVXQ about their lives beyond the glossy veneer of being pop stars. They even shared a funny anecdote where Sooyoung is the “natural enemy” to Yunho – which you can find out why from the video.
Yuri is another Girls’ Generation member that has successfully carved a niche on YouTube. Besides giving us a look into her daily life, Yuri shows off her newfound passion for cooking. She attended culinary school in South Korea and proudly shares her tips and recipes to us. Take a watch at the above video where Yuri creates a course meal dinner for fellow Girls’ Generation members, bringing us back to the days where we grew up listening to their bops.
Since starring in hit television series Reply 1988 (2015), Hyeri from girl group Girl’s Day has skyrocketed to be one of the biggest names in the Korean entertainment industry. When watching her videos, it is easy to see why she is well-loved for her easygoing charms. This video, for example, shows her going on a dinner date with Blackpink’s Rosé. Other videos on her channel range from get-ready-with-me to vlogs of her daily life.