MBC announcer Im Hyun-joo (40) expressed her dissatisfaction with no-kids zones.
On the 1st, Im posted a lengthy message on her SNS, stating, “I wrote down my thoughts while wrapping up yesterday, and I received both agreement and differing opinions, so I decided to elaborate a bit more.”
Im mentioned, “I understand the reasons behind the establishment of no-kids zones and have become accustomed to them. However, yesterday, that reality hit me particularly hard,” referring to the intent of her previous day's post.
She continued, “Because the child is noisy, disruptive, or bothersome. I also understand the notion that no-kids zones are a matter of the owner's freedom. There are places with safety concerns as well. However, I thought it might be worth considering a different perspective. If such behaviors of children are flatly defined as ‘nuisances’ and the gaze of society accumulates, it could unconsciously internalize the idea that children are ‘acceptable to be excluded.’”
Im, who acknowledged that her thoughts could be perceived as selfish from a parent's perspective, expressed gratitude for the help she received from a stranger at a restaurant recently.
She emphasized, “As the old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. If everyone—children, parents, and those observing children—accumulates such experiences, I believe many things regarding how we view and treat children could change.”
Previously, on the 31st, Im shared, “I revisited a café that I had fond memories of, but when I parked and put my child in the stroller, the person guiding us had a perplexed expression and said, ‘This is a no-kids zone.’ I asked, ‘Where is it indicated?’ They directed me to another café, saying they wouldn’t accept us inside anyway.” She questioned, “Why are there so many no-kids zones? When I go anywhere with my child, I often see more smiling faces with sparkling eyes, saying it’s rare to see children these days... Why can’t children go to these so-called hip places? What kind of nuisance would that be?”
Im has previously gained attention for breaking norms, such as being the first announcer on a terrestrial broadcast to wear glasses while presenting news or participating in the ‘No Bra Challenge’ by going braless on air.
Im Hyun-joo joined MBC as an announcer in 2013 after working at JTBC. She married Daniel Tudor in 2023 and has two daughters.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
