Seo In-young Yells 'Get Me Appliance Sponsors' and Divides Her Fans

Seo In-young surprised her YouTube audience on November 4 by announcing her December remarriage on camera, then immediately telling her production crew: "Get me some home appliance sponsorships. I spent all my money on buying the house, so I have no cash left."

The moment came during a meal segment on her channel 'Seo In-young Turning Over a New Leaf.' She revealed she had bought an apartment in Namyangju, Gyeonggi for the new home she will share with Choi Ji-hoon, the CEO of content creative company NP, whom she plans to marry on December 26 in a small church ceremony. No flowers. No congratulatory song. Members of Jewelry and her friend Lyn are on the guest list.

Get me some home appliance sponsorships. I spent all my money on buying the house, so I have no cash left.

Where the Backlash Came From

Online reaction split sharply. Per Starnews Korea, some netizens expressed discomfort, with remarks like "It is brazen to demand home appliance sponsorships so confidently." Others pushed back: the ask was directed at her own production team during a casual meal, not broadcast as a public brand pitch, and she framed it as a joke about her finances. The two readings reveal a tension that is not exclusive to Korean celebrity culture. Audiences increasingly notice the difference between a disclosed professional brand deal and a celebrity using platform access to solicit personal perks.

The Finance Reveal That Followed

The more revealing part of the video may have been what came after the appliance comment. When the production staff asked about her finances, Seo explained that her parents currently manage her bank account, and that she is "more comfortable" that way. Sports Kyunghyang reported she described being blocked from buying jewelry at a department store because, she said, the owner told her she had no money. She also mentioned that a card company contacted her after she paid $375 (500,000 KRW) for stage items. She had previously acknowledged on the channel that she spent most of her earnings from the Jewelry era and from variety entertainment work.

Who Is Seo In-young

Seo In-young debuted as a member of Jewelry, a kpop group active from 2001 to 2015. She went on to build a substantial solo career and became a frequent variety show presence in South Korea. She married a non-celebrity businessman in February 2023 and announced their divorce in November 2024. The upcoming December 26 remarriage to Choi Ji-hoon is her second.

What It Says About Celebrity Platform Leverage

The backlash carries a broader lesson that brand strategists have been watching for years: celebrity audiences are increasingly sensitive to the line between a disclosed sponsorship and an informal ask. A formal partnership comes with disclosed fees, negotiated deliverables, and contractual protections for both sides. A casual 'get me some appliances' directed at a production team, even jokingly, signals that fame is being used as currency for personal logistics rather than as a professional arrangement. That is a different transaction, and her audience noticed the difference.

What Happens Next

Seo In-young's December 26 wedding will be her second marriage. No agency, brand, or appliance manufacturer has publicly responded to the sponsorship request, and Seo has not issued a clarification or walked back the comment as of November 5, 2026.

Ad Watch News is an independent commentary site and has no affiliation with Seo In-young, Choi Ji-hoon, NP, or any party named in this article.

Sources & further reading

• Starnews Korea: 'Get us home appliance sponsorships' — Seo In-young sparks debate over dowry demands amid wedding announcement (Nov 5, 2026)
• Sports Kyunghyang: Seo In-young asks for appliance sponsorship ahead of remarriage (Nov 5, 2026)
• Wikimedia Commons: Seo In-young at the 2009 Style Icon Awards, photo by KIYOUNG KIM, CC BY 2.0