Former JTBC Announcer Kang Ji-young Reveals Why She Left the Network

Kang Ji-young, a former announcer and broadcaster, has opened up about her decision to leave JTBC.

On the October 25th episode of MBC's variety show 'Radio Star,' Kang Ji-young appeared alongside Lee Bong-won, Hong Seok-cheon, and Cha Jun-hwan in a special episode titled 'Business is So Easy!'

During the show, Kang Ji-young discussed her departure from JTBC after 15 years and her decision to go freelance. She stated, “While at JTBC, I appeared on external content like YouTube and realized, 'There's a whole new world out there.' With the diversification of platforms, I saw new opportunities for myself.”

She continued, “Even back then, people asked if I was considering freelancing, but I was committed to being a good anchor. I had no thoughts of leaving at that time. However, after stepping down from 'Newsroom' in March last year, I began to deeply consider my career path. I had done almost everything I could at the company. Given my limited stamina, I thought it might be better to take on new challenges while I still could.”

Kang Ji-young also shared, “When I received external offers, I thought, 'I must be valuable as a character.' Some people advised me against leaving, citing the poor economy, but I enjoy taking on challenges, so I decided to go for it.”

Reflecting on her resignation, Kang Ji-young said, “Those at the company had seen me since I was a rookie. When I said goodbye to the executives, they all said, 'You've worked hard as a founding member. You'll do great.' My colleague, announcer Jang Sung-kyu, congratulated me after reading the news and encouraged me.”

When asked about her husband's reaction, Kang Ji-young expressed gratitude, saying, “I told my family first, and he said, 'Do what you want to do.'”

Kang Ji-young also shared her experiences interviewing actors like Choi Min-sik, Son Seok-gu, and Song Joong-ki while anchoring the news. When asked about her most memorable interview, she recalled traveling to Hong Kong to meet Andy Lau and Tony Leung. “They aged gracefully and reunited for a film after a long time,” she said, mentioning that she brought a 'Infernal Affairs' poster for them to sign.

Reported by Tae Yuna, TenAsia youyou@tenasia.co.kr