Broadcasting·Entertainment: Culture: News: Hankyoreh

Hyunjoo Lim (35) announcer. On April 12, 2018, announcer Hyun-joo Lim, the host of (MBC)’News Today’, became famous not only in domestic media but also in foreign media. The female anchor’s’Glasses’ was sent out as a’language’ that reveals the structure of sex discrimination in the broadcasting industry as well as the self-remark of an announcer for 10 years. The world’s question about how he got to wear glasses awakened him. ‘Is there any reason not to do it?’ It was an announcer’s dream that has been raised since the age of nine. He said goodbye to the contradictory life in which he spent the most time getting dressed even though he had never thought that the number one competitive position of the announcer was his appearance. Instead of a tight dress, I wore a comfortable jacket. I started thinking about beauty when I started to have less courage to decorate it. One by one, reading a book, watching a movie, writing, and building a pillar of thought. I enjoyed the pleasure of communicating with the public based on Instagram and YouTube. There wasn’t much that shouldn’t be done. I recently published an essay. It is a work of choosing from a job waiting to be chosen, and honestly tells the story of the direction of existence. On December 9th, I met announcer Lim Hyun-ju, who finished the’live broadcast this morning’, at the cultural broadcasting office building in Sangam-dong, Seoul. He wakes up at 5 a.m. for the morning broadcast and goes to work in the early morning, but he expressed the excitement of his first interview as an author with a unique energy.

―How does the announcer work eight hours a day? “It’s very autonomous. Commuting to work is also based on self-airing time. In my case, I go to work early in the morning, so I go home early. The rest of the time is spent filling me up. After work, I take a nap around 3 o’clock and the second day begins again in the evening.” ―I must have split the time to write. When did you get an offer for publication? “When glasses became an issue, there were several suggestions. I refused because there wasn’t much that could be said yet, and I was so focused on the eyewear issue. Last year, I took a five-year vacation and traveled for a month. I wrote a little bit every night and it was fun. He said he did it when the proposal came in March this year.”
Emphasizing subjective life while publishing books
To avoid prejudice to readers, take pictures
‘Appearance daily evaluation, female power neutralization’
Stories from experience Impressive

―When I search for’Im Hyun-joo’ on the Internet, most of the glasses case are still mentioned. How are you? “When you say’Announcer with glasses’ in an article title, it’s always a little embarrassing. What is this, and I feel like I am constantly concerned. That’s me, but I don’t want to do everything like me. But it also serves as an opportunity to explain me, so I can’t take it off.” ―It’s not an easy task because it broke the long tacit agreement of the broadcast. What was the source of courage and strength? “I think it came from a very deep frustration. Before, I said that if someone compliments me, I am doing well. I wasn’t free from others’ evaluation. Looking back on what I wanted to get through this job, I said that I was a’trusted anchor’, but at the root of it, there is a desire to become famous. So I don’t think I thought of doing something. Yes, and I took care of it. Then, at some point, I quit the news and the time I spent sitting at my desk was getting longer, so I was very unhappy. Am i done? The time I prepared was this long, but the time I aired was too short and vain. From then on, it wasn’t really the end, but the beginning, I don’t need anything, and let’s have fun and make myself like myself. ―If there is no broadcast in charge of the announcer, what kind of work will the announcer go to work with? “Well, the announcer is really an office worker. As I commute, I do things other than what I see on the air. We do radio news every hour on the hour, we also have a Korean language study group, and we do things for each team. You have to have time for self-development to fill yourself up.” ―How long was that period? “About a year and a half. But even if I broadcast intermittently, I don’t do it independently, but I keep waiting. The main dream of an announcer is to broadcast. He is a person who has so much pleasure in expressing and communicating himself, but because he can’t do anything, he feels like a deep sense of defeat and self-destruction. Rather, the chances were given to my juniors below me, and even though I conducted the news for two years, it became a situation where there was nothing left for me. You don’t know what to do when you wake up in the morning. My real self-esteem has become too low.” ―When preparing an announcer, was there any information that it was a job requiring waiting? “I did not know. Nobody teaches you. Everyone who prepares for this job still has a sense of self-esteem, and I think that when I join the company, I will of course be there.”

Lim Hyun-joo started an announcer on the Busan-Gyeongnam area private broadcasting (KNN) in 2010. He joined KBC Gwangju Broadcasting System in 2013 after (JTBC). As the career of broadcasting and in charge of several programs increased, the female announcer realized that the word’flower of broadcasting’ was not just an investigation. In the media, they were called’goddess announcer’ and’bagel announcer’ and consumed. “In the meantime, I was running in a vast grassland without any distinction between women and men, and I suddenly felt as if I became an ornamental flower.” Even though it was broadcasting right now, I didn’t know when to quit this program. Let’s change the atmosphere because the audience rating was not available. ‘Flowers’ were easily replaced by other’flowers’. Unstable working conditions spread to anxiety. ―In a situation where a profound man and a young and pretty woman have become the official news agency, is it not good for a female announcer to have an early opportunity to conduct the news? “Yes. It’s a structural problem, but female anchors usually have opportunities in their twenties, so maturity cannot be built up. I’m not sure if I can change the news story, and the news should be accurate, but what if I’m wrong, what to do is shrink. That structure has been around for too long. There won’t be a female announcer who hasn’t thought about this. It’s very ironic. If you don’t build up external conditions, you won’t have a chance to broadcast, and if you can’t broadcast, you won’t be able to get inside.” On December 26, 2017, I was in charge of hosting’News Today’. It was a painful program that I hadn’t done properly before and quit. The opportunity came again. Now let’s do it really freely, not for long, but no matter when he quits, he decided to try it without regrets. Around that time, during the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Kim Eun-jeong, the national curling team, was called’Senior Glasses’ and became a hot topic. Criticisms of criticism that glasses are taboo to young women who work regardless of industry caught his ears. Come to think of it, the news host also didn’t have a female senior wearing glasses. He got up at 2:40 a.m. to get the news at 6 a.m. and put on makeup and prepared. I didn’t have enough time to sleep and my eyes were always tired. If so, he made a decision to’try on my glasses first.’ ―What changed your life the most since that day? “It’s been about two and a half years. The little attempts of the day set me free now. Both the body and the thought. The question,’Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?’, follows with all of my actions. There were so many things that there was no reason not to do it. I try not to have a lot of stereotypes myself.” ―What are some examples? “At this age, you have to get married, have children, and at this age you have to play more of this role. As I pay attention, I see a lot of such people. That’s a big change. There are a lot of nice people around you that are amazing. Of course, I thought you knew me well, but I was hurt because I didn’t know.” ―Which words hurt? “It’s really nothing. ‘Are you feminism? Are you feminine?’ (Laughter) When I was on YouTube, I wore a pink wig and some glances said,’I want to bounce’ and’Isn’t it weird?’ ―What do you say when you ask, “You are a feminist”? “In the beginning, what? What is the intent of this question? I feel strangely bad, and I think I was a parent.” ―What do you think you are going to say now? “Why did you ask? Feminism is good for everyone to know, but there are many misunderstandings. Unconditionally catching pods, unconditionally hating men, he’ll have a hard time talking. But it’s not.” ―What got better as you looked at the world through a feminist lens? “The stereotypes about certain roles have disappeared. If you have an understanding of feminism, you can live equally. Because you are a woman, because I am a man, not like this, but because I have this tendency, because you are such a person, let’s live like this, this kind of conversation is possible.” ―As a woman with an open face, there is something like the discomfort of living with her own voice. How do you endure it? “You really endure it. (laughs)” ―How do you endure it? “Usually, cheering and bad comments come together, but there are times when the cheering voice decreases, and then there are times when the bad comments become more noticeable. Nobody protects me. At that time, I was lonely. But in the end, it was for me that I was doing something, that was correct. It’s not to tell the world something, but to really me. Because it makes me happy. Protect me with that.”

Lim Hyun-joo participated in the’No Bra Challenge’ in the current affairs culture’Series M’on February 13, 2020. Again, I was told whether it was a crown bell. He said that he wanted to give courage rather than pop out, and that he is satisfied if someone finds a change. By doing what he wants and not doing what he doesn’t want, he lives every day faithfully to the me now. In ―, I emphasized the subjective life, saying, “Be happy from now on. The story of the life of announcer Hyun-joo Lim conveyed the message that’daily evaluations of appearances neutralize the real power of women’ was impressive. However, stories like’If I knock, the way is open’,’Oh my God, it’s just what I can do’, and’It’s an era where individual brands have become important’, some seem to justify the merit-based discourse in self-help books. “I was thinking a lot about the tone of the text. What I say, life is like this, I can’t say this. I am a person who cannot live that way. In the end, let’s use the path I found really honestly, the feelings I felt, and the things that happened. Eventually, individuals have to change, but that’s not all. The intention is, of course, a change in structure. However, in order for this structure to change, the individual must have a problem consciousness. Waiting for a change in the structure also feels a bit passive. We must first talk about the discomfort in our lives to change this society.”
“I try not to have a lot of stereotypes”
‘Nobra Challenge’ attempts to spread courage
“Is there any reason not to do it?”
“Oh my God, I just had to do it.”

―Announcer Hyun-joo Lim has an academic background and appearance resources from Seoul National University, and is a full-time terrestrial broadcaster. Have you ever thought that this condition is an objectively favorable starting line? “I may not believe it, but I really don’t think of my school, so I don’t think that’s my obstacle.” ―I think it will be a resource, not a stumbling block. “I think being asked such a question itself is an obstacle. No bird feels like a resource. It doesn’t mean that there is a good opportunity to come just because I had the academic background at the broadcasting station. As a scholar, I am not a person who wants to study more, and I am not a person who wants to appear in appearance. What I want to do is to write, but I’m completely sick of it, so I rather envy the writers. YouTube creators are envious of how to make it pop like that… . Bright energy is my advantage, but I want to have a little more atmosphere. When someone looks at me, you can still think that this person has a lot, but I think I always start at zero.” ―That was my prejudice. “Rather, there is a prejudice even when the announcer says he writes a book. The article written by the announcer would be obvious. It won’t be fun. How much must have been worrying about life. I have to get rid of these things too. So I didn’t put the announcer picture on the cover of the book on purpose. I hate it so much that I ask him to take it out. Because it gives prejudice from that.”

―’Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?’ It’s like a magical topic that sparks action. Do you have any questions like this these days? “Nonmarried birth. (laughs)” ―Ah, like Sayuri’s case? “I think our society is changing a lot. This kind of thing spreads and we speak out together. At the same time, there are many uncomfortable gazes and intense conflict, and it is always a pity that the person who speaks out has to deal with it.” ―You often talked about being courageous to each other. The saying’I don’t want to be replaced’ doesn’t seem to be specific to the announcer job. What can you tell another coworker who feels such anxiety? “It’s a difficult problem. In order not to be replaced, I have to have my own speciality. I’ve always been on a safe path, but have you ever thought about the path I really want? I want to become famous all over the place, I want to have the most stable job, I only thought about the flashy image, what do I really want to do through that? What kind of person am I? I later felt that I hadn’t thought about it. If you have any questions in your life, it’s okay to get out of the safe road a little. It’s safe and you’re away from everything and do it. ―Are you going to be a freelancer? “(Laughter) I’m dreaming. Even now, half of them live with the heart of being a freelancer. I don’t know what to do in the future, but I’m looking forward to it.” In 1915, in Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “Clothes are social insignia, a kind of social skin.” Historically, women have moved into men’s spaces such as workplaces and cafes, removing gender divisions from clothing. In 2018, in Korea’s terrestrial news,’female anchor’s glasses’ became a hot topic because a stream of change permeated daily life. He refused to be fixed as an ornamental flower on broadcast and secured a wide range of activities, and he left such a mention on Instagram with 560,000 followers. ‘There are so many things I want to do.’ Transcript Hyewon Hong

The times that made Lim Hyun-ju

Year 2015

Start a trip alone I thought I had achieved my desired goal, but I felt the limit inside the broadcasting station and began to worry. I started my trip alone, and from seeing the various aspects of life, I realized that there was nothing for granted.

2018

I wondered,’Is there a reason not to do it?’, and I started wearing glasses on the news. Since then, I have the courage to choose more freely about the role and appearance in the broadcast.

2018

Become a creator. Start of brand expansion. To break the frustrating frame, he opened YouTube and released the first video with a somewhat unconventional pink hair. I knew I could start lightly if I wanted to.

2020 year

Women open their eyes to the issue of the weak. I also experienced the first bad comments in my life. I am happy to know wonderful colleagues who think and practice gender, the weak, and animal rights. The picture was taken on the day of’No Bra Challenge’.

2020 year

To write a text. First book published. Extension from listeners to speakers to writers. I think that being able to use it means having the power to not collapse.