From a mukbang icon to a dog cafe owner, Haetnim’s short-lived career after the ‘Aunt Jusai’ controversy > News

The new workplace chosen by Ipshort Hat is known to be a large dog cafe with an area of approximately 1,000 pyeong located in Paju, Gyeonggi-do. There is analysis that this space, which was newly renovated after taking over an existing cafe, is a sincere business expansion as she has always shown extraordinary affection for her dog. In fact, visitors to the site vividly testify to how she looks around the store and serves customers while wearing an apron. The fact that she not only lent her name, but also personally inspected the facilities and took care of the interior design, suggesting that she put aside the glamor of being a celebrity and chose to live a life as an everyday businesswoman.

The reason this recent situation is becoming more of a hot topic is because of the weight of the ‘Aunt Jusai’ controversy in which she was involved. At the end of last year, this exposé, which began with Park Na-rae's former manager, contained a heavy topic: allegations of unlicensed medical practice. Ip Short Hat bowed his head, explaining that he got to know the person through an acquaintance at the time, and that he received treatment because he believed he was a doctor. She expressed deep remorse, admitting that her careless behavior was a major mistake, but the public's disappointment did not subside easily. Her period of self-reflection, during which she isolated herself by suspending her broadcasting activities and YouTube uploads, was a harsh price to bear for a celebrity who has lost the public's trust.

Meanwhile, this issue goes beyond the frame of simply a YouTuber starting a personal business, and projects a social perspective on the ‘self-reflection’ of public figures or celebrities. Compared to SHINee's Key, who was also embroiled in controversy, who recently returned to the public by successfully resuming his main career as a singer, the short-lived Sun's actions are different in that they are economic activities in the private sphere. In the online community, there is a strong conflict between the advocacy argument, "Is it a problem to lead a daily life without legal responsibility or a clear conclusion yet?" and the criticism argument, "Isn't a person who has betrayed public trust resuming his activities too quickly?" This part shows our society's concerns about where the line is between a celebrity's private life and public responsibility.

The spatial characteristics of a dog cafe also affect the perspective on this issue. The facility is operated as a no-kids zone where only dogs weighing less than 15 kg are allowed, demonstrating a precise operational strategy targeting a specific customer base. The large natural grass yard of 1,000 pyeong may be an attractive space for dogs and their guardians, but in a situation where a celebrity's 'controversy' follows her like a tag, this is likely to be both a refuge and a test for her. The public is watching with cold eyes whether she will overcome past controversies and be reborn as a sincere businesswoman, or whether she will once again be held back by the shadows of the past.