Yoon Hye-jin outraged by deceptive ads using daughter's height

Yoon Hye-jin, a broadcaster and former ballerina and wife of actor Uhm Tae Woong, has issued a direct warning regarding false and exaggerated advertisements circulating online that exploit the physical characteristics and growth of her daughter, Uhm Ji-on. Yoon expressed public displeasure at how content is being fabricated to mimic a 'growth secret' revealed by the family—unrelated to their actual parenting experiences—to drive sales through purchase links.

On the 14th, Yoon shared screenshots on her Instagram Story of several posts designed to look like they were introducing the secrets behind her daughter's height growth.

These posts used slogans such as 'The secret behind how 13-year-old Ji-on grew to 178cm' to promote specific products. They were written as if they were genuine family anecdotes, claiming Ji-on had consistently consumed the products since childhood and even added them to her *kimchi* fried rice.

However, Yoon's explanation contradicted the advertisements. She denied that the food was the secret to Ji-on's height, stating, "When she said she was dieting, I just occasionally gave her tofu instead of rice."

She further criticized the unauthorized use of her and her daughter's likeness for commercial gain, saying, "You shouldn't just take someone else's video without permission and post a purchase link to sell things."

Specifically, she drew a line against claims that a certain product influenced Ji-on's growth. Yoon clarified, "Ji-on didn't grow tall because she ate tofu. It's genetics," adding that such claims are being spread virally everywhere.

She also raised concerns regarding the images used in the advertisements. Yoon emphasized, "The photos were even processed with AI," and "It is not true at all. There is no secret." This suggests that AI technology may have been used to alter the context or add fictional explanations to actual family videos or photos.

This case illustrates the problems that arise when online advertisements use celebrity family members as subjects without the consent of the parties involved or verification of the facts. In particular, advertisements that use sensitive information such as the height, appearance, and health of adolescents to trigger consumer trust necessitate strict verification.

Uhm Ji-on recently drew online attention after it was revealed she had grown to 178cm at the age of 13. As her growth became a topic of public interest, promotional content attempting to link her development to the efficacy of specific products emerged. However, since various factors such as nutrition, sleep, exercise, and the timing of puberty are involved in growth, attributing height to a specific food or product is a separate matter.

Caution is required for content featuring the children of celebrities, as they may be incorporated into commercial messages outside of their original context. If stories entirely different from actual parenting experiences are reconstructed as facts, it provides false information to consumers and can lead to legal issues regarding personality rights and the unauthorized use of content.

Yoon married Uhm Tae Woong in 2013 and has one daughter. Having served as a principal dancer for the Korean National Ballet, she has shared her daily life and family stories through broadcasting, YouTube, and SNS since her retirement. While Ji-on has become known to the public through family content, a more cautious approach is needed regarding the consumption of her privacy and physical information as she enters adolescence.

Ji-on entered Sunhwa Arts Middle School this past March. Although she is a member of a star family familiar to the public, using her growth to prove the efficacy of a commercial product is a different level of issue.

Yoon's direct disclosure of these posts, emphasizing that they are "not true at all" and that there is "no secret," is interpreted as a measure to block the spread of false information. In an online environment where advertisements using celebrity names and family content are rapidly reproduced, it is increasingly important for consumers to avoid accepting narratives like 'who ate what and how much they grew' as fact without direct verification.