Former announcer Baek Ji-yeon revealed that she experienced workplace bullying during her time at MBC.
On the 21st, Baek Ji-yeon appeared on the MBC entertainment program 'Radio Star'.
Baek Ji-yeon is known as a legend of MBC's 'News Desk'. She still holds the titles of the first, youngest, and longest-serving anchor of 'News Desk'. Regarding this, Baek Ji-yeon humbly stated, "I did it for 8 years and 3 months. I didn't know I would last this long. I thought I would be replaced in the middle."
She continued, "I started as an anchor in 1988," and added, "At that time, it was an era where people said, 'How dare a woman?' and 'If a hen crows, the household will be ruined.'" She also mentioned, "I passed the audition just three months after graduating from university."
Baek Ji-yeon explained, "At that time, MBC said, 'Let's try to have a female anchor too,' and held an internal audition. I was a probationary employee and didn't qualify, but I attended to observe what my seniors were doing. Surprisingly, I came in first. The company invalidated it, saying, 'How can a probationary employee come in first?' They held the internal audition again, and I came in first again."
Baek Ji-yeon secured her anchor position by ranking first in the internal audition twice in a row. However, there were rumors that she became an anchor not through her skills but due to external pressure. Baek Ji-yeon mentioned, "Since my last name is Baek, rumors spread that I was the 'daughter of Baek Gom, a big player in the stock market.' There were rumors that I 'pushed the company with strong financial power' and 'bought 10 years' worth of advertisements.'
She continued, "There was a lot of opposition from the company. One senior said to me, 'I opposed this. I don't know why you were chosen, but this is a risk. If you last six months, I will eat my words,'" revealing the harsh words she heard directly from her senior.
However, such criticisms became a source of strength for Baek Ji-yeon. She expressed, "Those things made me stronger. I thought, 'I will not fall. I will become the representative anchor. No one can make me step down.'
[Kim So-yeon, Star Today Reporter]
