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A screenshot of ENA's TV show "My Child's Private Life" featuring child star Taeha (ENA) |
Child stars have long been a staple of the entertainment world, and their stage has expanded to social media.
These new young personalities, often managed by their parents, amass huge followings, raising questions about the consequences of early fame and its ethical boundaries.
A recent controversy surrounding Taeha, a 3-year-old YouTuber famous for his linguistic talents, has reignited these discussions. Taeha’s channel boasts over 801,000 subscribers as of Monday, and he has appeared in numerous advertisements, other YouTube channels and TV shows.
The debate began when Taeha’s mother, who manages his YouTube channel, asked fans to respect her son’s personal boundaries in a post shared last week.
“These days, many people greet Taeha enthusiastically,” she wrote. “Please refrain from suddenly touching Taeha, yelling (when greeting him), or directly asking him for a photo.”
She explained that such interactions might overwhelm him.
Her post sparked a heated debate online.
A large portion of the comments on Taeha’s YouTube channel argued that such attention is inevitable for a child in the public eye and suggested that if she truly cared about her son’s well-being, she should not make content featuring him on YouTube.
Others sympathized, emphasizing the importance of respecting personal boundaries -- especially for children.
As the criticism mounted, Taeha’s mother eventually deleted the post.
Can you have both fame and privacy?
Some Koreans insist that Taeha’s mother’s concerns are contradictory, arguing that fame and privacy cannot coexist.
"By appearing so extensively in the media, he (Taeha) is bound to be recognized by more people,” said Jang Yeon-soo, 32. “You can’t expect everyone to be polite. The best way to protect him is to limit his media appearances.”
Song, 29, even criticized Taeha’s mother for giving up the child’s privacy for money.
“She needs to decide what’s more important. Earning money through her son’s fame while asking for privacy is hypocritical,” Song said.
These sentiments are fueled by past controversies involving money-making child influencers.
In 2017, Boram Tube faced accusations of exploitation.
Many subscribers accused the channel of forcing Boram, a young girl, to act out pregnancy and react to a doll’s leg being broken purposely, among other things.
Save the Children, an international, non-governmental children's rights organization accused Boram's parents of child abuse.
“This issue is not just about boundary violations by fans. Parents who overly feature their kids on social media also share the blame,” said Choi Eun-jung, a mother of a 2-year-old.
“They might start with innocent intentions, but at some point, it becomes about money," she added.
A poll by The Korea Herald on Instagram Stories revealed a nearly even split.
Of 1,706 respondents, 54 percent believed parents cross a line by putting their children in the spotlight, while 46 percent argued fans should respect boundaries.
Instagram user @satangappa commented, “If the kid is not 18, the parents are responsible. Monetizing your child has consequences.”
Another user, @derrellyn, added, “If you don’t want social media fallout, don’t introduce your child to the world via social media.”
Kid or not, just respect personal space
Amid the heated debate, some argue that respect for personal boundaries should apply universally, regardless of fame.
“Being popular shouldn’t equal being unsafe,” wrote Instagram user @votrebeloved. “Be respectful.”
Others pointed out that approaching celebrities — child or adult — without permission is rude.
“Being on TV doesn’t mean people can touch or loudly greet them, even for adults,” said Park So-young, 33. “Expecting respectful behavior isn’t unreasonable.”
“Even with fame, boundaries should be upheld,” said Yoon Jin-sol, an uncle of 1-year-old twins. “Nowadays, we’re taught not to pet dogs without their owner’s consent. Shouldn’t children receive at least the same respect?”
Kim, who prefers to be identified by her surname only, is a 33-year-old mother of a 3-year-old son. Drawing from her personal experience, she shared her perspective.
"I didn’t realize how intrusive strangers could be until I had my own child. Once, an elderly woman at a restaurant in Pangyo insisted on holding my baby. When I refused, she started touching my sons' legs. If this happens to non-famous kids like my son, imagine how hard it must be for Taeha.” Kim said. “I don’t think the fans who approach Taeha mean harm, but adults should be more considerate.”
Pressure points delves into the seemingly trivial, yet surprisingly contentious topics that spark debate in our everyday lives. -- Ed.
