Seen are far-right YouTube channels capitalizing on polls with questionable credibility showing President Yoon Suk Yeol's 40 percent approval rating. Captured from YouTube.

Far-right YouTubers who vocally support President Yoon Suk Yeol are earning an average of 31 million won ($23,000) daily in donations.

They cite polls claiming Yoon's approval rating exceeds 40 percent to promote the idea that "the tide is in our favor" and draw financial backing. Critics argue that such polls, which face questions over their credibility, misrepresent public sentiment and violate journalistic ethics.

According to Playboard, a global platform tracking YouTube analytics, far-right YouTubers capitalized on polls by KOPRA showing Yoon's approval rating surpassing 40 percent.

From Jan. 5, when Yoon's initial arrest warrant expired, to Jan. 6, when the poll results were widely reported, these YouTube channels earned substantial "superchat" donations, where viewers pay to highlight messages during YouTube livestreams to support creators.

Popular channels such as God's Hansoo (@tubeshin, 1.6 million subscribers, created by Shin Hye-sik), and Hong Chul-gi TV (@hongtv, 510,000 subscribers) dominated the top donation rankings on Jan. 5 and the following day.

Collectively, these channels earned 40 million won in donations on Jan. 5 alone. Over five days, they amassed 155 million won, averaging 31 million won daily.

These YouTubers amplified KOPRA's results through livestreams, often broadcasting scenes from protests outside Yoon's official residence in Seoul's Hannam-dong.

In a video by God's Hansoo, a protester declared, "Yoon's approval rating exceeds 40 percent. Conservatives are uniting and supporting the president," prompting cheers from the crowd. The video garnered 580,000 views, ranking fourth among the channel's 25 live videos this month, and earned over 25 million won in donations during the two-day period.

The poll results also boosted subscriber growth. Channels with over 900,000 subscribers, such as Lawyer Bae Seung-hee, Ko Sung-kook TV and Lee Bong-kyu TV, collectively gained 66,000 new subscribers from Jan. 5 to 9 — a 60 percent increase compared to the preceding period.

A live video posted on YouTube channel God's Hansoo on Jan. 6 shows a protester saying, "President Yoon's approval rating has exceeded 40 percent." Captured from YouTube

Poll methodology under scrutiny

However, KOPRA's poll sparked controversy after its release, as its first question was unconventional compared to standard surveys.

"Typically, polls ask whether the president is doing well or poorly in managing state affairs. However, KOPRA's surveys did not ask whether respondents support or oppose the president, but instead began with, ‘How much do you support the president?'" said Kim Heon-tae, CEO of Masses Consulting and founder of the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI).

"Even considering the president's suspended duties, asking about ‘approval ratings' instead of ‘state management' was not a model survey design."

South Korea's Public Official Election Act also prohibits questions that could lead respondents toward a specific answer based on the pollster's intent. On Jan. 7, the Democratic Party of Korea filed a complaint regarding the poll with the National Election Commission's Central Election Poll Review Committee.

Despite these concerns, many far-right YouTubers disregarded the bias allegations. Pastor Jun Kwang-hoon of Jun Kwang-hoon TV claimed, "In reality, Yoon's approval rating exceeds 60 percent. With more rallies, it should reach 90 percent."

Lee Bong-kyu TV also asserted, "Yoon's approval is higher now than before martial law, showing public support for his decisions."

Other far-right channels used the poll as political ammunition. For example, Jin Seong-ho TV (1.86 million subscribers) highlighted the results in a thumbnail reading, "Frightened (opposition party leader) Lee Jae-myung panics. The tide has turned."

Far-right YouTuber Lee Bong-kyu interprets KOPRA's poll results as showing "an increase in public support for martial law." Captured from Lee Bong-kyu TV YouTube channel

Calls for regulation of YouTuber earnings

Experts agree that there is currently no effective solution to curb the monetization of distorted or biased narratives by political YouTubers.

Yoo Hyun-jae, a professor of media communications at Sogang University, emphasized the need for new legislation to tax and criminally penalize YouTubers who spread false information.

"Authorities and YouTube must collaborate to implement technological measures, such as blocking recommendation algorithms entirely during politically sensitive periods," Yoo said.

He highlighted the problem of users being trapped in algorithms that continuously recommend content aligned with their biases, hindering rational judgment.

Lee Chang-hyeon, a professor of media and advertising at Kookmin University, underscored the importance of self-regulation that protects freedom of expression for YouTubers.

However, he proposed selective regulations for highly influential channels, saying, "Influential channels, such as those with over a million subscribers, must bear an appropriate level of social responsibility."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.