Korean news anchor loses her job for giggling

A news anchor for Korea's MBC news was replaced after she giggled at the end of a live newscast.

Frankly, it was just a small giggle... it was inappropriate but not bad enough to cost her the job if it was happening on a common day. Unfortunately though, the headline of the day was a warehouse blast that killed 40 in Icheon; the public was critical of the laughing incident because of the circumstances.

MBC spokesperson has responded that they won’t be reinstating Moon Ji-ae in near future for the news anchor post. Her works on other shows are however not affected at the moment.

Link

[#1 posted by Santa's Knee , January 16, 2008 10:21 AM]

That would be SOUTH Korea - there are two now, ya know...

[#2 posted by Aaron , January 16, 2008 10:22 AM]

Pretty awesome how that video repeats, as if they're doing me the favor anticipating I was going to hit play 5 times.

[#3 posted by Cpt. Tim , January 16, 2008 10:59 AM]

I think life is to blame here, for being tragically hilarious.

[#4 posted by mrfitz , January 16, 2008 11:17 AM]

damn that's harsh

how can you fire such a cute little thing?

[#5 posted by Fett101 , January 16, 2008 11:28 AM]

Anyone who know Korean and can translate what she was saying? Would make a slight difference if an anchor here giggled while announcing 'The president *giggle* has been shot'

[#6 posted by jadanzzy , January 16, 2008 11:40 AM]

She's just signing off at the end saying something to the effect of, "thanks for watching." Who says 'the president has been shot' and then ends the news?

[#7 posted by Michiel , January 16, 2008 11:46 AM]

#6 they might have to wrap it up because the American Idol final is next.

[#8 posted by CountD , January 16, 2008 12:18 PM]

It's not nearly as bad as this.

[#9 posted by tjvm , January 16, 2008 12:24 PM]

Who says 'the president has been shot' and then ends the news?

Actually, that would be pretty cool.

"...and, finally, the President has been shot. Good night everyone." Credits roll.

[#10 posted by Fett101 , January 16, 2008 12:47 PM]

#6, Alfred Hitchcock, Master of Suspense!

[#11 posted by Rajio , January 16, 2008 1:09 PM]

When reporting serious news you're meant to be solemn and objective. If she can't do that, then she can't do her job. why not fire her?

If she was reporting on dog weddings or something that might be different but the newscast was reporting forty having had been killed. Giggling is very innapropriate in that context and not at all professional. Is the news station so wrong for demanding some professionalism from it's anchors?

[#12 posted by Takuan , January 16, 2008 1:24 PM]

laughter can be nervous. If she were a he, this being Korea, she would still have her job.

[#13 posted by Moon , January 16, 2008 3:45 PM]

MOON! Leave poor MOON alone!!!

/BTW, is Incheon the new spelling of Inchon?

[#14 posted by orangefoodie , January 16, 2008 4:04 PM]

Having been born and raised in Korea, Takuan nailed it on the head: if she were indeed a he, she would still have her job.

Moon: Incheon is the new revised romanization spelling of Inchon, yes.

[#15 posted by strathmeyer , January 16, 2008 4:58 PM]

Wow, they let women be TV anchors in Korea?

[#16 posted by ChrisM70 , January 16, 2008 7:33 PM]

Unless she was giggling through the newscast earlier, this little slip, at the very, very end of a newscast seems a little extreme.
It's not even that noticeable (to my English-only American ear).

[#17 posted by Darran Edmundson , January 16, 2008 8:49 PM]

I showed this to my Japanese wife. To Noriko, it seems perfectly reasonable that the woman lost her job. It's got to be cultural ...

[#18 posted by rapoli , January 17, 2008 1:43 PM]

In fairness to the giggling news anchor, the warehouse blast also destroyed the company's entire inventory of rubber balls and liquor.