A recent surge of interest in professional clowns has unexpectedly put the spotlight on celebrities who once worked as clowns before finding fame. An online post titled "Could you marry a boyfriend who works as a clown?" recently went viral on Korean online communities. The writer said her boyfriend had saved 200 million won ($144,000), but her parents opposed their marriage because he worked as a clown. The story drew mixed reactions from online users. Some opposed the marriage, saying, "It would be hard to introduce him to others," "I think it would bother me," "I can understand why her parents are against it" and "His future seems uncertain." Others changed their tune after learning that professional clowns can earn as much as 7 million won a month. "He seems hardworking," "That's a job AI can't replace" and "He seems like he'd be good at making a living," were some of the positive comments from users. As interest in the profession grew, the clown debate evolved into an online trend, with users digging up celebrities who had worked as clowns before becoming famous. Comedians Lee Yong-joo,