Why is "Storytime" Content So Popular on Korean YouTube? Understanding Risky Video Content for Brand Advertising

Korean YouTube’s “storytime” boom hides risky content beneath viral narratives.
Learn why brands must watch where their ads appear — before trust turns into backlash.

One notable trend on Korean YouTube is the immense popularity of what Koreans call "ssul punda" (썰 푼다), which translates to creators sharing "storytime" videos, or personal anecdotes, in a casual and engaging way. If you're familiar with Korean YouTube content, you’ve likely already come across this phenomenon. 

These videos feature individuals sharing a wide range of tales, from humorous dating mishaps and strange encounters with colleagues to behind-the-scenes celebrity gossip and shocking accounts of specific events. Whether based on true experiences or creative fiction, these emotionally charged stories often perform well with the YouTube algorithm. However, this type of content can also harbor harmful elements such as fake news, sensationalized narratives, hate speech, explicit sexual experiences, and even stories about suicide attempts.

This raises the question: why is this "storytelling" format so prevalent and popular specifically on Korean YouTube, and what do advertisers need to keep in mind?

What is "Storytime" Content?

From the perspective of PYLER's brand safety solution, 'AiD', "storytime content refers to videos where the primary purpose is to convey true or fabricated stories and share gossip. Think of it as online storytelling. This style of sharing narratives has deep roots in Korean online culture, with many popular internet communities fostering a tradition of sharing personal accounts. On YouTube, common examples of content range from dating scandals, family conflicts, and workplace rumors to reviews of sex work establishments and accounts of failed suicide attempts – often prioritizing sensationalism over public interest.

Harmful "Storytime" Content: A Greater Risk in Korea

We searched for the same keyword—"grandmother"—on YouTube in four different languages: Korean (할머니), English (grandmother), Chinese (奶奶), and Japanese (おばあちゃん). The results revealed a stark contrast: when searched in Korean, the platform predominantly surfaced provocative "storytime" videos. In contrast, the English, Chinese, and Japanese search results mainly featured wholesome family content, informational vlogs, or cultural introductions.

This discrepancy goes beyond mere algorithmic variation—it highlights the overproduction of sensational, story-driven content in the Korean YouTube ecosystem. Narratives often revolve around sexual experiences, personal conflicts, or violent incidents, with creators prioritizing shock value and algorithmic optimization over ethical storytelling or content quality.

As a result, brands advertising in Korea face a significantly higher risk of having their ads placed alongside harmful storytime content compared to other markets. Over time, this misalignment can pose a serious threat to brand image and consumer trust.

Why is "Storytime" Content So Dominant in Korea?

While similar formats like "Storytime" or "Personal Confession" content trends exist internationally, they haven't achieved the same level of mainstream popularity and genre establishment as this "storytime" content in Korea. Korean "stories" have become a distinct genre due to a combination of factors: rapid audience engagement, immersive narrative structures, and narratives often based on anonymity.

1. A Community Culture Familiar with Sharing Stories Online: For a long time, Korean online communities like DC Inside, Nate Pann, Blind, and Today's Humor have been active spaces for anonymous "story sharing." This established method of narrative delivery naturally extended to YouTube, making the consumption of video-based "storytime" content feel familiar and accessible.
   
   

2. Influence of Broadcast Formats: Popular Korean talk shows like "Knee Drop Guru" and "Radio Star" frequently feature guests sharing personal anecdotes and experiences. This long-standing exposure to spoken storytelling in mainstream media has created a viewing culture that readily accepts "stories from good talkers" as engaging content.
   
   

3. Anonymity and Third-Party Storytelling: Unlike direct first-person confessions, Korean "storytime" content that relays or reports others' stories in the third person is also widely consumed. Reconstructing events, narrating urban legends, and summarizing incidents can generate high levels of immersion, making it easy to diversify content formats.
   
   

4. Low-Cost, High-Engagement Format Combined with Algorithms: "Storytime" content can often be produced simply with text-to-speech narration, without the need for cameras or extensive editing. Its emotionally engaging narrative structure and clickbait-style titles align very well with the YouTube algorithm. This allows creators to achieve high view counts with relatively low production costs.

   
   

What About Overseas?

While "Storytime" content exists in English-speaking countries like the United States, its nature and consumption patterns differ.

Why Should Brands Pay Attention to This Phenomenon?

This "storytime" content presents a high-risk environment for advertising. However, many brands are currently running ads without fully understanding these risks.

Key Risks:

• Risk of Context Distortion: When a brand's advertisement appears within content dealing with personal misfortunes or social conflicts, it can lead to negative associations between the brand and those issues.
  
  

• Emotional Mismatch: Exposure to content featuring topics like sex work, suicide, or hate speech can severely damage a brand's image and reputation.
  
  

• Decreased Credibility: The truthfulness of "storytime" content is often questionable, making it highly susceptible to fake news or defamation. Appearing alongside such videos can erode trust in the brand itself.

In fact, PYLER's analysis of advertising campaigns has revealed cases where up to 35% of the brand’s ad budget was spent on content inappropriate for the brand. This highlights the reality that even branding-focused advertisements are being placed in unsuitable environments.

An Advertising Environment that Considers Content Context is Necessary

This "storytime" content is not just a passing trend; it's a sensational narrative structure that is highly optimized for the YouTube algorithm. However, with harmful content like depictions of sex work, suicide, violence, hate speech, and fake news being circulated under this "story" umbrella, it has become crucial for brands to prioritize a safe advertising environment that considers content context as much as advertising efficiency.

To this end, PYLER monitors real-time ad placements and blocks ads from appearing on inappropriate content, providing a safe and high-performing advertising environment. PYLER is committed to helping brands connect with consumers in a safe and healthy content ecosystem.