Jang Sung-kyu‘s confession of feelings, clarification of suspicions of harm and indifference toward the late Oh Yo-anna “Legal response to malicious comments” [Full text]

Broadcaster Jang Sung-kyu explained the suspicions of harm or indifference toward the late MBC weather caster Oh Yo-anna.

After the late Oh Yo-anna passed away in September of last year, suspicions were raised that her fellow weather casters had collectively harassed the deceased while she was alive. Jang Sung-kyu was also mentioned in a weather caster group chatroom recently made public by the bereaved family, putting him under the spotlight. Some netizens pointed out that Jang Sung-kyu knew about the harassment by the weather casters but turned a blind eye, and they even left malicious comments on social media mentioning his family.

On the 5th, Jang Sung-kyu wrote on his social media that he hopes that the late Oh Yo-anna’s grievances will be cleared. He said, “I think it‘s the wrong order to try to resolve my small grievance before the deceased’s grievance is resolved,” and earnestly asked people to refrain from leaving malicious comments toward his family.

Nevertheless, when netizens continued to leave excessive malicious comments and inflicted secondary harm, Jang Sung-kyu responded by leaving a reply. On the 11th, he posted a long message on SNS, confessing his feelings of injustice.

Jang Sung-kyu explained that he left the message because the bereaved family first encouraged him to actively explain himself. He revealed that he first met the late Oh Yo-anna when he went to exercise after finishing a radio broadcast in 2022. At the time, the deceased introduced herself as ‘Weathercaster Kim Ga-young‘s junior’, and Kim Ga-young, who she met the next day, also said she was her ‘chered junior’, and confessed, “I thought their relationship was good”.

Jang Sung-kyu said that he gave advice and encouragement to the late Oh Yo-anna, who had confided her concerns about ‘You Quiz on the Block’, but decided that comforting her alone would not be enough after she shared her concerns again. He said that he offered to help Kim Ga-young together, but that he sensed that their relationship was different than before when she said, “There are internal work-related circumstances, so it won’t be easy”. He said, “They haven‘t exchanged any words since then”, and he heard the expression “Oppa, that guy is a liar” mentioned on a YouTube channel, or “Anna, He emphasized that he never repeated words or had such conversations with the deceased, such as, “You’re a lying kid, Kim Ga-young said that?”

Jang Sung-kyu said that his last contact with the late Oh Yo-anna was in May of last year after leaving the radio show. He explained that the last time they talked was when the late Oh Yo-anna recommended a good restaurant through SNS and they exchanged greetings via DM before his business trip to Gwangju. He asked, “If the deceased had thought of me as a perpetrator or a bystander, or had feelings of resentment, would he have greeted me warmly?” He also said that he had not received any contact regarding the deceased‘s funeral and that he only heard the news at the end of last year.

Nevertheless, Jang Sung-kyu left a message saying that he regrets not having taken action more actively and that he feels sorry for the deceased and her bereaved family. He said, “I once again pray for the deceased’s soul to rest in peace. I will do anything to comfort and provide strength to the bereaved family.” However, she made her position clear by saying, “We will take legal action” against malicious commenters who crossed the line against her and her family.

Meanwhile, the bereaved family of the late Oh Yo-anna filed a civil suit against the deceased’s co-workers in December of last year, based on phone conversations and conversations she had while alive. The bereaved family strongly demanded that the truth be revealed, saying that there was not even an apology from the perpetrator or the company. MBC formed its own fact-finding committee, but the bereaved family expressed their intention not to participate. Accordingly, the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office and the Seoul Western Branch Office jointly formed a special labor supervision team and began supervision on the 11th.


Full text of Jang Seong-gyu‘s SNS post

First, I once again express my deepest condolences to the deceased and the bereaved family.
I originally planned to reveal my position after the deceased and the bereaved family found peace, but the bereaved family felt sorry for the secondary harm I was causing and advised me to actively explain, so I am cautiously posting this.
I would like to thank the bereaved family for understanding my situation.

I first met the deceased around 2022 when I went to exercise after finishing a radio broadcast.
The deceased greeted me as a junior of caster Kim Ga-young, and said that caster Kim Ga-young cared for and took care of him, and that he considered her a role model.
I met Kim Ga-young the next day. When I talked to the caster,
she also said that she was a junior who cared for the deceased,
so I thought their relationship was good.

Then, the deceased asked for counseling,
and while we had a meal together, I heard about her concerns regarding You Quiz.
Based on my experience,
I encouraged the deceased, saying that the difficulties were likely caused by jealousy and envy from those around her,
so don’t worry and overcome them.
However, the deceased talked about her concerns again after that,
and I felt that my comfort alone was not enough.

So I asked caster Kim Ga-young, who I thought cared for the deceased and was close to the deceased, to help the deceased together.
However, caster Kim Ga-young said that it would not be easy because of internal work-related circumstances.
Only then did I realize that their relationship was different than before,
and after that, no one spoke to them.

Especially in the last three pictures,
there was a YouTube As mentioned on the channel, I have never heard the expression,
‘Oppa, that guy is lying’,
or translated it as, ‘Anna, you are a lying guy, Kim Ga-young said that?’.
I have never had a similar conversation with the deceased.

At the time, I thought that as a senior who was working in the same broadcasting company, I knew well what the deceased was worried about and how he felt,
so I tried to understand and sympathize with his feelings.
Whenever the deceased talked about difficult things, he always showed a brave
determination to overcome them,
so I judged that it was a level of difficulty that could be experienced in one‘s work life.
That’s why I regret not taking more active action at the time,
and I feel very sorry to the deceased and his bereaved family.

As time passed, I left the radio in April 2023.
And about a year later, in 2024 In May, when I heard that I was going to Gwangju on a business trip, the deceased recommended a good restaurant through SNS, as shown in the first two photos, and we exchanged greetings via DM. That was our last communication. If the deceased had considered me a perpetrator or a bystander, or if he had been upset, would he have greeted me warmly?

I recently heard that the deceased‘s funeral was held with minimal contact with those around him, according to the wishes of the bereaved family, and I heard the news at the end of last year without receiving any contact at the time.
I still can’t believe it because I remember the deceased‘s strong appearance.
And I feel so sorry that I couldn’t be of any help.

I once again wish the deceased peace.
I will do anything to comfort and strengthen the bereaved family.

And separately from this,
to myself and my family. We will take legal action against those who cross the line.

Thank you for reading the long article.

Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.