Source: Chosun Ilbo via Naver
Broadcaster Kim Min-ah is under controversy for sexual harassment of middle school students.
On the 3rd episode of her web show posted on official YouTube channel of the Korean government posted back in May, Kim Min-ah did a video call with a third graders in group A in middle school regarding restrictions over the Coronavirus.
Min-ah asked the group, "This it a time you should all have a lot of energy, where is that energy?". The students smiled and she added, "Why are you smiling?" she laughed and stated, "Are you thinking the same way as me?"
She also asked what the students are up to since they could no longer attend school due to the pandemic. She asked, "Are there any fun things you're doing at home?". One student replied, "My mom isn't at home." Kim Min-ah replied, "Why are you home alone?" "What do you do when you're at home alone?"
Viewers that watched the video criticized her pointing out that "she should be more sensitive to questions she's asking adolescent middle school students."
Netizens stated, "Imagine if a male announcer said stuff like that to a middle school girl. Imagine if he made a face like that after asking "why are you alone at home?" It's obvious that he'll be buried with lawsuits. Her level of sexual harassment against minors has gone too far."
The YouTube video has since been deleted but Kim Min-ah's agency SM C&C has yet to reveal their official position on the controversy,
Kim Min-ah left JTBC after a career as a weather-girl and became a professional broadcaster. She's currently appearing on tvN's variety program 'On and Off.'
- [+7,058, -110] Just imagine if a male announcer talked to a middle school girl and said stuff like "What do you do when you're home alone?" "How do you release that energy?" "Are you thinking the same thing as me?"
- [+2,039, -74] Usually the door to Free ends with retirement until now. Your once-in-a-lifetime idiot arrived today.
- [+1,412, -34] "It's inconvenient", "Overpaid"... Maybe you should look back on yourself before you cause an actual accident.
- [+955, -38] She crossed the line this time
- [+346, -4] If a male broadcaster had done that to a middle schooler. Hul~I'm not sure what she was thinking when she made those comments. She's known to be smart so she needs to be careful about what she says going forward.
- [+308, -3] She always teetered on the edge before but she crossed the line this time
- [+198, -9] Even as a man this is just too much
- [+155, -8] "I'm going to have a fight match tonight" Kim Min-ah: "Are you going to sweat?" ??? Isn't that sexual harassment? What kind of fighting does she think he's going to be doing? I guess all that action playing overwatch will leave his fingers sweatingã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹ã…‹
Additional Source: OSEN