The official YouTube channel of Chungju City, 'ChungTV,' experienced a dramatic drop in subscribers from approximately 975,000 to about 751,000, following the resignation announcement of Kim Seon-tae, a city official popularly known as 'Chungju Man.' Just a few days after his resignation became public on the 13th, the channel lost about 14,000 subscribers that day alone, followed by a staggering decrease of over 52,000 subscribers by the 15th. By the afternoon of the 16th, the subscriber count had further decreased to 800,000. This significant fallout is closely tied to the controversies surrounding Kim's departure and rumors of internal conflicts, particularly speculation about bullying within the workplace.

In response to these rumors, Kim issued a clarification through a post on the ChungTV channel, firmly stating that the allegations of bullying and internal strife were unfounded. He emphasized that his resignation was a personal decision made in light of pursuing new challenges and achieving personal goals, denying any connections to conflicts with specific individuals or entities. Kim expressed concern for his colleagues who have faced criticism as a consequence of the speculation surrounding his departure and urged for a cessation of unfounded rumors and indiscriminate criticism that affects the reputation of public servants.

Kim Seon-tae began his public service career as a 9th-grade civil servant in 2016 and gained recognition for his role in promoting Chungju City and its official YouTube channel. His rapid promotion to a 6th-grade position within just over seven years was noteworthy, as such advancements typically take around 15 years in the public sector. In a farewell video titled 'Final Greeting' posted on the 13th, he reflected on his seven-year journey as 'Chungju Man' and indicated it was time to bid farewell to this chapter of his life.