After the death of the late Oh Yo‑anna and the fallout from the controversy, the job title of MBC weathercaster has ultimately disappeared. As of the end of the 8th, MBC terminated contracts with all freelance weathercasters.
According to MBC on the 9th, the company ended freelance weathercaster contracts with Lee Hyun‑seung, Kim Ga‑young, Choi Ah‑ri and Geum Chae‑rim. It is the first time in 31 years that MBC has abolished the 'weathercaster' job category.
Instead of the job category of weathercaster, MBC created a new regular position called "meteorological and climate expert." The new specialized role will be responsible not only for the weather segment in existing news programs but also for reporting and producing field reports. MBC said when creating the position that "qualification requirements are majors or certification holders in meteorology, climate or environment, or those with more than five years of experience in related industries, and existing freelance weathercasters may also apply."
New hires are expected to go through training and then continue their activities starting this year. In the meantime, the weather segments are being presented by news anchors. On broadcasts on the 9th and 10th, news anchors explained the weather instead of the weathercasters whose contracts were terminated.
On their last broadcast on the 8th, Lee Hyun‑seung, Kim Ga‑young and Choi Ah‑ri drew attention by coordinating their outfits in pink while delivering the forecast. Geum Chae‑rim, who joined MBC at the same time as the late Oh Yo‑anna, reportedly resigned earlier on the 6th. She posted on social media, "Last Friday, I presented the weather as a weathercaster for the last time. During roughly five years at MBC, I always delivered the weather in front of the camera with joy and excitement," she said, expressing her feelings.
Geum Chae‑rim said, "I have no regrets because I gave my best at every broadcast, whether it was special reports and live coverage during disasters or early morning broadcasts. Still, honestly, I feel a sense of loss and numbness at the fact that the job I loved and the career I cherished is disappearing." She added, "Even so, I hope this ending will be not a finish but another beginning, and I will return in a new form in the future. I sincerely thank the seniors and directors who stayed by my side until the last broadcast."
Meanwhile, MBC weathercaster the late Oh Yo‑anna died on Sept. 14, 2024. News of her death became known to the public three months later, and a 17‑page will found on the deceased's cellphone contained claims that she had been bullied by colleagues at work, shocking the public.
When allegations of workplace bullying surfaced, the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) conducted a special labor inspection of MBC in May last year and said, "There was bullying within the organization." It was also emphasized that because weathercasters are contract workers, they are not recognized as workers under the Labor Standards Act to which the 'workplace bullying' regulations apply, which added to the regret because while the bullying occurred, it could not be considered 'workplace' bullying under that law.
When news of the workplace bullying spread at the time, netizens reacted with comments such as "This is the real‑life version of Yeon‑jin," "This is so realistic," and "Is this really happening in real life?"
MBC and the bereaved family held a joint press conference last October, and President Ahn Hyung‑joon officially apologized for the workplace bullying issues raised by the family. MBC also awarded the deceased an honorary employee certificate and signed an agreement with the bereaved family.
[Photo] OSEN DB, social media, broadcast capture
[OSEN]