Living as a celebrity seems all glitzy and glamorous. But what people forget is that the show-biz life often entails brutally unstable work schedules and life patterns, with no guarantees of fame. Even the most popular celebrities can find themselves on hiatus for months at a time.

Thus, many celebrities have been turning to YouTube during their most idle hours to share their off-stage lives with fans.

Here are some celebrity YouTubers who are reaching fans on the small screen.

1. Bomi of Apink




Apink’s Bomi, one of the most voluble and cheerful members of the group, launched her own YouTube channel, titled “Bbom Bbom Bbom,” in April, in an effort to fill the gap between promotions.

Spurred by her popularity, her YouTube channel drew more than 20,000 followers in just 20 days. In her opening video, she said she had decided to start her channel to communicate with fans while the group was on hiatus, adding that creating video content had been a longtime interest of hers.

The rookie YouTuber has shared 21 videos so far, and has covered a wide range of topics -- makeup, ramen, creativity and more. She recently recorded 401,011 subscribers.

2. Raina of After School




We’ve been wondering what Raina‘s up to these days, and the After School vocalist gave us the answer herself Aug. 17, when she launched her YouTube channel, “I’m Raina.” In her initial video, the artist said she wanted to get close to her fans while on hiatus.

“I used to be very active as a member of Orange Caramel, After School, and with the hit song ‘Midsummer Night’s Sweetness,’” she says in the video. “But currently I’m not busy at all, having ample time to reflect on myself. A hiatus means unemployment for celebrities, and I decided to spice up my life with something I can do regularly.”

Clad in comfortable clothes and stripped of her stage makeup, Raina shows her casual side by peeling fruit, watching TV and getting lost in a parking lot. She also keeps her K-pop career in fans’ minds by singing and promoting her upcoming concert. There’s only one video on the channel so far, but she promised fans that there were more to come. “I’m Raina” has 10,767 subscribers so far.

3. Peniel of BTOB




Peniel of BTOB is an experienced YouTuber, having uploaded his first video on “Peniel’s Official Vlog” in February 2016. He kicked off his YouTube career with a video in which he answered 10 questions from fans both in Korean and English, flaunting his fluent English skills.

Known for always having a camera by his side, Peniel doesn’t neglect his fans even during his hectic overseas tours. He also features his family in the videos, and speaks English in many of them -- presenting a great opportunity for international fans to get to know this talented musician. “Peniel’s Official Vlog” has 130,945 subscribers.

By Hong Dam-young (lotus@heraldcorp.com)