[Sportschosun reporter Jeong Yu-na] Kim Seon-geun, a former announcer turned broadcaster, candidly opened up about the trial and error, as well as financial hardship, he faced after deciding to become a freelancer.
In a video released on the YouTube channel "Salty Brother Shin Dong-yup" on the 22nd, former KBS announcers Kim Byung-chan, Lim Sung-min, Kim Hyun-wook, and Kim Seon-geun appeared as guests and shared a wide range of stories.
Looking back on the time he left KBS in 2022 and became a freelancer, Kim Seon-geun admitted that his judgment had been overly optimistic.
He said, "I overestimated myself. I ruined everything by doing pointless things. Looking back, I had never really failed even once in my life. I got into a university that people would recognize, did theater, joined KBS, and worked on 'Entertainment Weekly' and as a radio DJ. That made me arrogant." He added, "At the time, I had even reached the point of thinking, 'What can't I do that Jun Hyun-moo did?'" recalling how confident he had been.
Kim Seon-geun said that before leaving the company, he had taken out loans and invested based on the stability of his job, but the results were far from what he expected. He explained that while working at KBS, his strong credit rating allowed him to borrow money relatively easily, and he used that to invest, only to end up failing. He also revealed that he had won a subscription lottery for a newly built apartment in Paju, but the unexpected financial burden quickly became overwhelming.
He said, "As a KBS announcer, it was easy to get loans, so I borrowed money and invested, but it all fell apart. Around that time, I also won the subscription lottery for a new apartment in Paju. It was something to be grateful for, but the financial pressure was driving me crazy. I thought that if I became a freelancer, my income would be bigger, and I even left after securing broadcast appearances. But I soon realized how harsh reality was. Promises are just promises. None of them came true, so my income went negative."
As financial difficulties continued, he said he took on various jobs to make ends meet. He worked in laundry delivery, designated driving, and parcel loading and unloading, and even participated in a clinical trial to earn money.
Kim Seon-geun said he joined a bioequivalence test for a new drug, taking medication and undergoing blood tests for three days and two nights in order to cover his living expenses, drawing sympathy with his confession.
jyn2011@sportschosun.com
