Kim Sun-tae, known publicly as “Chungju Man” for his viral videos promoting the city of Chungju, recently met with Kang Hoon-sik, Presidential Chief of Staff, sparking speculation about a potential role within the presidential office. The meeting, which took place on February 19th, has fueled reports that Kim may be joining the Digital Communication Secretariat, according to multiple Korean news outlets.
Kim, a 6th-grade civil servant with the Chungju city government, gained national prominence for revitalizing the city’s YouTube channel, ‘ChungTV,’ through innovative and often humorous content. His approach, which included parodies of popular internet trends and creative public service announcements, dramatically increased viewership, reaching 970,000 subscribers, a figure previously unheard of for a local government channel. His videos, such as a take on the “slickback” trend to promote water pipe maintenance and a “coffin dance” video during the COVID-19 pandemic, garnered millions of views.
Sources within the presidential office, as reported by the Korea Internet News, indicate that Kim underwent a recruitment process for a position within the Digital Communication Secretariat and was interviewed by Kang Hoon-sik himself. The administration reportedly believes Kim’s unique promotional skills could be valuable in strengthening the government’s digital communication strategy. The Digital Communication Secretariat has been operating with a vacancy in the chief position since December of last year, following the resignation of Kim Nam-guk amid controversy.
Kim submitted his resignation to the Chungju city government earlier this month, with his departure expected to be finalized by the conclude of March, a move widely interpreted as preparation for a recent role in the presidential office. My Daily reported on February 20th that Kim had been offered a position and had completed the interview process. However, both Kim and the presidential office have offered limited comment, stating only that discussions took place.
The potential appointment has generated significant public interest, with Kim’s popularity rivaling that of established entertainers. His YouTube channel, ‘Kim Sun-tae,’ currently boasts over 1.5 million subscribers as of March 20th. Recent reports indicate he has also completed filming a project with Woori Bank and appeared on the MBC entertainment program ‘Radio Star’ to discuss his departure from public service.
The presidential office has not yet announced a formal decision regarding Kim’s potential appointment and the position of Digital Communication Secretary remains unfilled.
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