Broadcaster and former announcer Baek Ji-yeon has become deeply immersed in high-priced artworks.
On the 8th, a video titled "I want to buy this piece even if I have to sell my house. How can I?" was uploaded on the channel 'Now Baek Ji-yeon'.
On that day, Baek Ji-yeon greeted viewers by saying, "I am at the exhibition hall where the world-renowned art fair 'Frieze Seoul' is taking place." After inspecting the artworks, she said, "This piece has caught my eye for a long time. It is by the artist Andrea Galvani. The apples here are all from species that have become extinct on our planet. It raises awareness about the species that are deteriorating and disappearing due to human errors and gives us food for thought. In fact, I purchased this piece. I will place it by the window in a corner of my office," she said.
In particular, Baek Ji-yeon explained after seeing a work by the artist Yayoi Kusama, "No matter how much art enthusiasts are individuals, works that are concerning to purchase remain hard to access. However, we must still indulge our eyes. Yayoi Kusama is primarily known for her pumpkins. The uniqueness of the artist's mental world has made her works even more famous. When people hear 'pumpkin,' they think, 'Ah, that person,' but in fact, there are many such pieces. There are works with flowers, a girl standing, and even many large pieces."
She said, "Even a very small piece is an enormous work. This one is $720,000 (about 1 billion won), while the flower piece is $1 million (about 1.3 billion won). But actually, these prices are astonishing for Kusama's works," adding, "It is said that Tsukasa Kamiyama's small piece is inside there. When I asked to show it, they put on gloves first. It may be a small piece, but it costs over $700,000—$760,000. It's beautiful. The author's signature must be on the back. We need to verify that. Definitely. But I really like the title of this piece; it's 'Pray for Love.'"
The producer asked, "Which do you prefer between the red piece you saw earlier and this blue one?" Baek Ji-yeon replied, "I like them all. However, personally, I prefer the red. That color is also very pretty. But I prefer the red and both pieces are titled 'Pray for Love.' In fact, when I look at artworks, the title has a huge impact on me because the title is what the artist assigns, reflecting their intention, which I personally consider very important; that's why I really like 'Pray for Love.'"
In particular, Baek Ji-yeon remarked, "That piece is something everyone would want to own. However, it's too expensive. This gallery is where you can directly receive works by Yayoi Kusama, so they are offered at a much better price than elsewhere. It's a stunning price," adding, "Should I sell my house?" with a serious expression that drew laughter.
Meanwhile, Baek Ji-yeon joined MBC as a public announcer in 1987 and switched to freelance after leaving MBC in 1999. She married Dr. Kang Hyung-gu, an engineering Ph.D., in 1995, and they had a son but divorced after three years. In 2001, she remarried financier Song Kyung-jun but divorced in 2007. In particular, she attracted significant attention when it was reported that she became related to the Byung-hun family in 2023.
[Photo] Now Baek Ji-yeon
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