Everyone has a wandering moment. "Hyowon In(人)side" presents a valuable guide to shaking youth with the stories of seniors who took a step ahead.

“Channel PNU” met announcer Lee Da-Som (Dept. of Psychology, 15, graduated) as its first guest. The announcer is also a senior at “Channel PNU.” She currently has a busy time every day delivering local details of LG Hello Vision’s Hello TV. On August 13th, we had a candid conversation at the “Channel PNU” Studio.

Q. Please introduce yourself briefly.

A. Nice to meet you. I'm Lee Da Som. I have been an announcer for "Hello TV" since 2021. I'm doing news for five local areas: Gyeongsangnam-do, Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Jeollanam-do, and Jeollabuk-do. Usually, terrestrial broadcasting stations in the Seoul metropolitan area can't handle local details. For example, it deals with the story of a restaurant in Geochang that has been sticking at the same price for ten years while prices continue to increase or the story of covering the current situation of rivers in Busan. There is also a talk program where politicians and experts are invited to discuss local issues in detail.

Q. What is the most memorable thing while working as an announcer?

A. During the local elections in June, we had a ballot counting broadcast all day. It was when I thought a lot about whether I could work as an announcer or continue on this path, but it was so much fun when I did the election broadcast. I felt like dopamine was coming out of my head. I got off work at 6 AM But the next day, I felt a little overwhelmed with joy even though I was tired. So those worries disappeared, and I thought, "Oh, I'm going to keep walking down this road with this memory."

Q. Since you majored in Psychology, I can't help but ask why you chose your current career path. How did you decide to be an announcer?

A. I majored in the Dept. of Psychology because I wanted to learn pure psychology by studying, and I still have pride in my major. At that time, I was giving a presentation in a class called "Reading and Discussing Classics," and one student said, "The presenter spoke well. Her voice was very attractive, and her pronunciation was good. She seemed like an announcer." My original dream only had a spark, but that comment turned on the light.

Q. Sometimes, some students worry that their major is different from their career.

A. All majors are, but I don't think there's anything useless. Once you learn it, you can shine anywhere. Psychology is about people, so it was helpful in many ways. I don't have to show off my psychological knowledge during the broadcast. But I learned about people's cognition, behavior, and mind while dealing with my major. When I work in broadcasting, I meet new people and have a lot of collaboration. So, I must understand people's minds and treat them softly. In that regard, my major has become a study that makes my world expand further.

Q. What qualities should you consider necessary as a journalist?

A. Curiosity. Pronunciation is important, and there are other essential things. But I feel these days that curiosity is necessary. As we deliver the news, we send a lot of information and words daily. If you do that, it's easy to become insensitive at some point. I think it's important to retain the same mind as the first time.

Q. Press in universities or local media often say they are in a "crisis." What do you think about it?

A. I think it would be good if any group had an organization that could uncover and speak out about their problems. These problems also apply to the community. Some keep asking about the meaning of the existence of local broadcasting stations. But many people feel left out in the regions like those I work on in person. In particular, the elderly get a lot of information on TV, but if the news is made only with reports in central Seoul, you won't be able to know the news about the area you live. I think the local media can represent the position of the local people, and in fact, that should happen. The same goes for schools. If there is no place like "Channel PNU" here, who will focus on news gathering and reporting the news of the school?

Q. Is there anything you want to say to your junior colleagues at PNU?

A. I want them to try various things. It may be a cliche, but I think it's the only time when there's no significant risk of doing it. It may seem like a big deal for now. But when they enter society, they are given a sense of responsibility. If they do something wrong, the risk they must go through is too high. I want you to try various things when you are at school.

I hope you don't follow the rules but use it as a time to expand your world by looking for things you can do actively. If you do what you want, you'll have to go out into society and catch it. I hope we can continue to follow that dream and meet in the community later.

Reporter Channel PNU

Translated by Shin Ji-Won