Everyone has thought of becoming a celebrity once in his or her lifetime. An announcer with a well-mannered and intellectual image is the object of envy. From time to time, the probability of becoming an announcer is 1 out of 1000. However, there is an alumnus that has broken through the odds of becoming an announcer with her first try. She majored in classical voice in 1992. She is a person who has landed the kind of career that everyone dreams of and it’s outside of her major. Has she always had good luck on her side throughout her entire life? Let’s hear from someone who reports about situations and incidents much faster than any one; alumnus Yoon, Jiyoung.

1. How was your college life?
  My student life was quite hectic and busy. At that time, everyone said Kyungwon University had a vision, which gave me great strength and made me believe in the school. I was eager to perform on the stage. University was a very suitable step that allowed me to grasp what I wanted in life. Instead of studying, I focused mostly on singing. I also wanted to study abroad. Then I had the chance to study in the U.K. A professor in my major insisted on my staying and studying together with her rather than studying abroad. Due to my respectable professor, I ended up staying. Because my professor insisted on my staying, he taught me many other things in his free time as well. I have no regret in my decision and I remember having done my best.

2. How did you end up as an announcer while you majored in classical voice?
  During elementary school, I always respected the news anchor. When I was young, I enjoyed reading and speaking but I never imagined doing this as my career. I always thought of becoming someone making a contribution to society. Then one day, as I was watching the news, an advertisement about the recruitment of news anchors opened my eyes. Because I always enjoyed reading and speaking, I decided to try it out. At that time, I was preparing to study abroad, taking TOEFL tests and pictures. So, I felt no desperation for this job. I also didn't feel nervous because it was not my stage. During the interview, I read an essay, pretty much without hesitating or being nervous. I received a good result and passed the high competition rate of 500 to 1.

3. How did you feel when you moved from having a great motivation of singing to reporting news?
  I wasn't desperate about becoming a news anchor because I knew nothing about reporting. I had a strong sense of self-confidence in music so I felt a bit of indifference. There was no pressure or stress because it was all new material for me. The year after, in 1997, the IMF exploded and I felt very lost. It took another year before I started to feel fun and excitement about reporting. However, more and more concerns came to my mind. I still had a passion for singing, but the passion for anchoring started to grow. With these two thoughts, I came to figure things out. ‘The apple that hangs from a tree naturally falls, even if not picked. Like the apple that naturally falls, let’s work without being impatient.’

4. What is the most important skill an announcer should have?
  First, you need to have composure. You should not be so quick to express yourself but be able to listen well to others. Second, you need your own specialized talent, such as sports, music or foreign languages. Third, you need to be cultivated and have a decent look because an announcer must portray an exemplary citizen. Fourth, people with personal charm or charisma are preferred. We like someone who feels good to be with and get along with. Finally, you need a good voice and good pronunciation. Giving a speech is harder to fix than you think. Someone who has a good voice and pronunciation is more likely to get better results. 5. You hosted a book called, ‘A book that celebrity reads’. What book would you recommend to your junior colleagues?
  I would like to recommend, A life read by Goethe. One would think ‘Goethe’ is a sincere person who would talk about complex topics, but actually he talks about realistic and easy topics. Out of many quotes, a couple of them that I would like to mention are, ‘Do not go too fast, doing nothing is valuable, too’ and ‘What you respect and despise is likely to reveal what type of person you are’. When reading this book, I think that modern people, compared to the people of the past aren’t any more intelligent. These remarks are simple but clear and wise. Reading this book, I realize running headstrong to your goal is not always the best.

6. What was the most memorable thing during your two-year leave?
  I remember everything. I wanted to study and be with my child, but I made a hard decision to take a rest. During my break, I did meaningful work, so I felt that I did not waste my time. To see if I had an appropriate view of broadcasting, I completed a doctoral course at the department of Journalism and Broadcasting, Chungang University. I spent the rest of my time taking care of my child and challenged by musicals because of my love for music. I realized what a great opportunity it is to be able to do everything I have always wanted.

7. You said "I would like to show that I can still have a dream even when I’m in my 40’s and 50’s, and can be a role model to anyone." Do you have anything to advise university students who are chasing after their dreams?
  Take time to ask yourself what you really want in life. It is important that you reflect on yourself at least once in your life. You may refer to books, movies, or talk with peers. Don’t be too impatient but enjoy your life. Carpe Diem has two meanings; first, it means to commit yourself to ‘now’, and second it means to not be too hasty and have composure. I would like you to listen to others rather than run forward at full speed. Also, in the 21th century, English has become an absolutely necessary skill. I want to tell students to study English every single day, if possible. Lastly, I want to tell all students to read as many books as you can. No matter who you are, everyone becomes modest and sincere while reading books. This made me realize how great books are.

8. What is your future goal?
  I want to challenge myself in a variety of ways, rather than only going on broadcasting programs. I will be hosting a TV program in March, and I want to continue on with the radio program called, ‘A book that celebrity reads’ simply because I love books. I say this with caution but at some time I also want to write a book. I am thinking of several kinds of books, like a book of comments from my son’s diary, or a book of dealing with my ideas and my son's ideas in the same storybook; or maybe a book for multicultural women or young women. Nothing has been decided yet because I have too many things to do at the moment, but I will start one by one and never give up.    Alumnus Yoon, Jiyoung is a veteran announcer with a calm and intellectual image. Despite her colorful and respectable career, she is full of enthusiasm, like a beginner. She is leading an energetic life, not only in broadcasting, but also challenging many other things. I think that we also need to be challenging and keep on pursuing what we want to do. She advised us to think of what we ourselves truly want. I wish all of Gachon University students to take some time to ask themselves what they really desire in life.