Dex to Take Break from YouTube After 7 Years: "Need to Focus on My Strengths"

Broadcaster Dex (real name Kim Jin-young, 31), a former member of the Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla (UDT/SEAL), has announced a temporary hiatus from his YouTube activities, drawing attention to the background of his decision.

On his YouTube channel "Dex101," which has 1.16 million subscribers, Dex personally shared his plans to halt his YouTube activities during a recent video featuring fellow 1995-born creators Mimiminu and Chef Kwon Sung-jun.

"I had actually been thinking about stopping around this time. I've been contemplating this job and my future since last year," Dex calmly shared. He added, "At our age, we really need to make choices and focus. Mimiminu is heading toward the peak in his own category, and Chef Kwon Sung-jun is doing great in both his main profession and broadcasting. Meanwhile, I'm dipping my toes into various fields like variety shows and YouTube, but I felt unsure about what my actual strength is."

He continued, "I still find YouTube so much fun, and I actually think recently has been the most enjoyable time. However, before it gets too late, I needed time to think about what I can do best and which direction I should take in the future. Rather than dragging things out, I wanted to make a clear decision and move forward from that point. The reason was so clear that the decision wasn't difficult." He emphasized that this break is not a decision to turn away from his fans, but rather a preparation process to return in a better state.

Dex rose to stardom after gaining explosive popularity as a "catfish" (late-joining male contestant) on the Netflix dating show Single's Inferno 2. Since then, he has established himself as a rising star in the variety show industry, appearing in shows like Bloody Game 2 and Adventure by Accident 2. In the video, Dex also recalled, "The show that changed my life was Single's Inferno 2." He has since transitioned into acting, making his official acting debut in the 2024 drama Tarot: Stories of Seven Cards, and expanding his acting career by appearing in Bloodhounds 2. He is also set to star in the movie The Haunted House, which is scheduled for release in the second half of the year.

At the end of the video, Dex left a message for his fans, saying, "I hope you think of this as just a temporary pause," and added, "I will return in a much better state."

 

Reported by Kang Kyung-yoon
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.