📺 Kim Sun-tae (Head of New Media Team and Assistant Manager at Chungju City Hall), known as 'Chungju Man' for leading the city's official YouTube channel 'Chung TV', personally denied rumors of internal conflict and 'bullying' that spread online after he submitted his resignation 12456910. In a community post on February 16, Kim stated that his resignation was a decision made after considering personal goals and new challenges, and was not due to conflicts with specific individuals or the organization 12456910.
Following the news of his departure, the channel's subscriber count dropped significantly in a short period. According to some reports, the subscriber count, which was around 975,000 on February 12, fell to approximately 796,000 by the afternoon of February 16 3, with other reports indicating it reached around 760,000 as of February 17 5712. Chungju City officials reportedly expressed that they were "bewildered" by the sudden exodus of subscribers 3.
Kim expressed concern that speculations surrounding him were turning into attacks on his fellow civil servants and criticism of public officials as a whole, and he hoped that unverified rumors and indiscriminate criticism would stop spreading 2345610. Meanwhile, he was credited with being a success story for local government PR through his 'B-grade' aesthetic content, contributing to the channel's growth with viral videos such as the 'Civil Servant Coffin Dance' during the COVID-19 pandemic 3.
Sources
- ‘충주맨’ 김선태, 왕따설 확산에 “퇴사, 특정 인물·조직 갈등 때문 아냐” [khan.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- 충주맨 “왕따설 사실무근” 해명에도… 블라인드선 “시기·질투 심했다” 폭로 [seoul.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- 벌써 18만명 “손절했습니다”…충주맨, ‘왕따설’에 입 열었다 [seoul.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- 충주맨 김선태, '왕따설' 직접 부인…"내부 갈등 사실 아냐" [mbn.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- '충주맨' 왕따설 해명에도…충주시 유튜브 구독자 21만명 급감 [newsis.com] (2026-02-17)
- '충주맨' 김선태, 퇴사 루머 일축 “왕따설 및 내부갈등 사실무근” [jtbc.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- “왕따설 사실 아냐”…충주맨 해명에도 충주시 구독자 21만명 ‘뚝’ [mk.co.kr] (2026-02-17)
- 충주맨 "왕따설 사실아냐"…사직서 내자 구독자 18만명↓ [jtbc.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- “내부 갈등 때문 아냐”… ‘사직’ 충주맨, 왕따설 직접 부인 [chosun.com] (2026-02-16)
- '충주맨' 사직서 제출에 충TV 구독자 18만명 가까이 떠났다(종합) [yna.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- '충주맨' 사직서 제출에 충TV 구독자 17만명 넘게 떠났다 [yna.co.kr] (2026-02-16)
- ‘충주맨’ 관둔다고 하자…나흘만 유튜브 구독자 20만 이탈 [donga.com] (2026-02-17)
Highlights
- Resignation Process: After submitting his resignation on February 12, Kim went on a long-term leave and is expected to be officially processed for voluntary resignation at the end of this month upon his return 3.
- Final Farewell: In his 'Final Farewell' video, he looked back on his 10 years in public service and 7 years as 'Chungju Man,' saying, "The 7 years I spent with you were the happiest times of my life" 312.
- Channel Context: It was also noted that 'Chung TV' was on the verge of reaching 1 million subscribers before the news of his resignation broke 312.
My resignation is a decision made after reflecting on personal goals and future challenges; it is not due to conflict with any specific person or the organization.
— Kim Sun-tae — 서울신문
Perspectives
Kim Sun-tae (Chungju City New Media Team Leader): Expressed concern that unverified rumors were leading to attacks on colleagues and general criticism of civil servants, urging people to stop spreading indiscriminate criticism. He also stated he would continue to cheer for his colleagues and all public officials even after leaving.
Chungju City Official: Stated that the subscriber loss was particularly heavy over the holiday period and that they did not expect such a massive drop even if a key figure was leaving.
Online Anonymous Community Posts: Reported claims suggesting that the rigid culture of public office (jealousy, envy, etc.) might not have been unrelated to his resignation.