A citizen has reportedly filed an official complaint against i-dle’s Miyeon, claiming that parts of her latest YouTube video may have violated South Korea’s medical advertising regulations.

The complaint centers on a health-checkup video in which Miyeon documented her first comprehensive medical examination after turning 30, including footage of her undergoing a gastroscopy and receiving sedation.

A CITIZEN TAKES THE VIDEO TO THE AUTHORITIES

According to reports, on September 8, an informant identified only as “A” submitted a formal complaint through the public petition system to the Yongsan Public Health Center in Seoul.

The complainant reportedly asked authorities to determine whether Miyeon’s video could constitute medical advertising under South Korea’s Medical Service Act.

The main concern was not simply that Miyeon talked about her health examination. Rather, “A” pointed to footage in which the name of the medical facility was partially visible, along with images of medical staff, equipment and the actual procedures being performed.

The complainant allegedly requested that authorities investigate whether the medical institution had any involvement in producing the video and whether the exposure of the facility and its medical services complied with relevant regulations.

THE SIGN INSIDE THE CLINIC BECAME ANOTHER POINT OF CONTENTION

The complaint reportedly highlighted a sign displayed inside the facility that described the location as a “Health Examination Center: Specialized Hospital for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Colonoscopy.”

However, “A” reportedly argued that publicly available records identify the establishment as a clinic rather than a specialized hospital.

That led the complainant to ask authorities to determine whether the facility was legally entitled to use the term “specialized hospital” when Miyeon’s video was filmed and uploaded.

The issue quickly became more complicated because the video itself featured real medical procedures rather than simply mentioning that Miyeon had undergone a checkup.

MIYEON’S YOUTUBE TEAM RESPONDS

Miyeon’s production team has since reportedly addressed the controversy.

According to the explanation, the production team did not receive any payment from the medical facility, nor did it have an intention to promote or advertise the location.

The partial exposure of the facility’s name was described as an oversight, and the team apologized for the mistake.

Following the criticism, the video was reportedly edited and additional blurring was applied to conceal identifiable details about the medical facility.

However, the explanation may not automatically resolve the legal question.

EVEN WITHOUT PAYMENT, COULD IT STILL BE MEDICAL ADVERTISING?

According to “A,” an official responsible for the matter at the Yongsan Public Health Center reportedly explained that the absence of financial compensation does not necessarily mean content cannot be considered medical advertising.

Under the interpretation of South Korea’s medical advertising guidelines cited in the complaint, content that presents or communicates information about a medical institution or medical services to consumers can potentially fall under medical advertising regulations, even when there is no payment involved.

That distinction is now at the center of the controversy surrounding Miyeon’s video.

In other words, the authorities may have to determine what the video was intended to do and how the medical institution was presented, rather than simply asking whether Miyeon or her production team received money.

AUTHORITIES WILL NOW REVIEW THE CASE

The Yongsan Public Health Center’s health and medical-care department is reportedly set to review the complaint and determine whether the video constitutes medical advertising.

The review is also expected to examine the appropriateness of showing portions of sedation and gastroscopy procedures, as well as whether the medical facility’s use of the term “specialized hospital” complied with applicable regulations.

For now, there is no indication that Miyeon has been found guilty of violating the law. The matter remains at the complaint and review stage, with authorities expected to determine whether any regulations were actually breached.

What began as a routine video documenting Miyeon’s first health checkup at 30 has therefore turned into an unexpected regulatory controversy — with the seemingly minor appearance of a medical facility’s name now at the center of an official complaint.