Hey Jini opens up about balancing career and parenting

YouTuber Hey Jini (Kang Hye-jin), who boasts approximately 5 million subscribers, has opened up about the realistic conflicts she faces between her career and parenting, as well as past misunderstandings surrounding her channel.

"The dilemma between work and parenting"

In recent video content, Kang shared her honest feelings about balancing professional life with childcare. "When I look at my children, they are so lovely that I want to go all-in on them, but once I start working, I find work so much fun," she confessed. "Because I try to do work, parenting, and housework all perfectly, there are times when my emotions feel overwhelming." She noted that these concerns intensified after the birth of her second child.

Kang also explained the evolution of her channel management. Unlike the primary 'Hey Jini' channel, which required maintaining a specific character, she noted the difficulty of running a vlog channel that demands authenticity. "Vlogs need to be natural, but staff members sometimes found it awkward to film while maintaining the existing concept," she said. "With the birth of my child, Chaeyu, it became possible to create more authentic vlogs that capture natural moments."

Addressing controversy over traveling while a child was ill

Kang directly addressed past misunderstandings regarding her parenting methods. She explained that some viewers expressed concern over a family trip taken while her second child, Seung-yu, was in poor health and had been taking antibiotics for six months due to otitis media.

"At that time, Seung-yu's illness was captured in the video, and we went on a short two-day, one-night trip because of an appointment with an acquaintance," she stated. "Just as every parent has a different educational philosophy, I think there were people who questioned our choice at the time." She admitted that while she adjusted the schedule to accommodate the child's condition, she did not feel at ease as a parent.

The driving force behind 5 million subscribers

Kang also reminisced about her start on YouTube and the role her family plays. Having begun her YouTube journey around 2014, she decided the field was a good fit because her children loved toys and animation. A graduate of Dongduk Women's University with a major in Broadcasting and Entertainment, she originally chose her major to pursue acting but found a new path through YouTube.

Regarding the family's contribution to her success, she drew laughter by saying, "I think my child, Chaeyu, holds the largest stake in the current channel." She explained the family-centered nature of her content by noting that Chaeyu accounts for about 50–60% of the "stake," her husband, Chungchung-i, holds about 30%, and she herself holds about 20%. Kang also shared her first impression of her husband, noting he seemed fun due to his diverse facial expressions. She added that despite the challenges of parenting, she finds comfort in seeing her children, who have sensitive temperaments, doing well in school.