An announcer’s job is to deliver accurate information to people by appearing on various broadcasts such as entertainment programs, sports broadcasts, and news. Jeong Young-han, who graduated from the School of Media and Communication at Chung-Ang University, worked in various fields such as a program director for YouTube, and Clubhouse, and is currently working as the youngest male announcer on the terrestrial TV station at MBC. Let's find out about CAH announcer Jeong Young-han, while taking on various new challenges.
#Starting the Interview
1. Please introduce yourself for CAU students and readers of the Chung-Ang Herald.
Hello. I am Jeong Young-han, who graduated from the School of Media and Communication at CAU in 2015. I was working as a PD on “Travelholic”, video production instructor, and an outsourced production company. Now, I’m an MBC announcer.
2. You were in the dance club ‘D.O.T.’ and the theater club ‘또아리’ while you were at Chung-Ang University. Was there any interesting episodes that happened during your time with these clubs?
I was in a lot of clubs, and one of the most memorable episodes was practicing in the theater club. The School of Media and Communication is now in the College of Social Sciences, but it used to be in the College of Arts. So, the School of Performing Arts and Media and the School of Media and Communication also collaborated, and for this reason, I had to practice very hard in the theater club. It was difficult for me to practice five days a week, but I think the vocal practice helped me prepare to be an announcer.
#Along the Way to Becoming an Announcer
3. When you wanted to be an announcer, were there any specific fields you wanted to be in, such as sports or entertainment?
I am currently in charge of culture and entertainment, but I originally wanted to be an interview host. Tom Bilyeu, a Youtuber who interviews successful people, was my role model. In Korea, ‘You Quiz on the block’ hosted by Yu Jae-seok is a similar show. So, I wanted to be a host like Yu Jae-seok and Tom Bilyeu. Therefore, I became an announcer because I thought that was the most traditional way to enter the broadcasting industry.
4. You did not choose to double major, but instead did an intensified course completion of your major, is there any special reason for this?
I originally had a double major in business administration, but I canceled it right before graduation in order to graduate earlier. Because many people double major in business administration to get a job, and this shows that students have been studying hard at school, so I double majored in it. But I didn't have to go through the studies in business field because I was going to take a press examination. Therefore, I decided to pursue an intensified course of major because I decided that it was better to graduate faster than to finish the double major in business administration.
5. Why did you work with the concept of SIRI in the clubhouse?
SIRI in the clubhouse was the biggest activity for me, and it was also the activity in my dark ages. It was a time when the company where I worked had gone through tough times, and I was also frustrated by being attacked by social media due to misunderstandings. So, I decided to quit all the activities I was doing and live quietly without revealing myself. Meanwhile, I heard about a social media platform called Clubhouse. I had nothing to do at the time. Also, I luckily got an invitation to Clubhouse and joined. Among them, I chose to do an impression room and changed both my name and profile picture to SIRI. Starting with the SIRI concept that listens to other people's concerns, I gained a lot of popularity and my number of subscribers also increased. I was interested in this job and I found out what I like to do.
6. Before becoming an announcer, you worked as a PD on “Travelholic”. What is the difference between being a PD and an announcer?
“Travelholic”, where I worked as a PD, is an advertising agency on Facebook. PD is a producer, and the scope of what a PD does is very wide. PD is a job that not only makes and plans the video shoots, but also oversees all the work. In other words, one PD plays the role of managing and operating all the multiple personnel. An announcer is one of the personnel that a PD needs. Therefore, the PD is an operator who assumes a role, and the announcer is a player.
7. What experience as a PD helped you the most as an announcer?
When I was working as a PD, the most helpful thing was to use audio similar to what I am doing now; on the contrary, the ability that is most used while working as an announcer is video editing. Of course, the PD must be good at editing, and the announcer must be good at conducting. There are already many announcers who are good at hosting, but in addition to that, I can also produce and edit contents!
8. You are also in charge of narrating various programs. Is there any difference between the news and dubbing for other programs’ content delivery?
The tone of the voice and the degree of pretending not to know are different. For example, when I proceed news, I am in a position to deliver information to viewers, so I have to give them the trust that I know more than what I am conveying. However, when narrating in a variety show or liberal arts program, I ask questions and act curious instead of the viewers, so it is different from when I conduct news to immerse the viewers.
9. As you prepare to be an announcer, what is your Plan B in consideration of when you have to move on?
When I prepare something, I think about not only plan B but also plan C, D, E, F. Since an announcer is a very competitive job, I think the chance of becoming an announcer is low. Therefore, when I decided to prepare to be an announcer, I devised a strategy for each round of exams. For example, “I will only prepare terrestrial TV until I am 28”, “Local broadcasting up to 30”, and “I will give up as an announcer if I do not make it to the final interview before I am 30.”
10. After you gave up your job as an announcer, you tried again. It's not easy to give up on your dream and try again. Was there anything difficult or fearful when you tried again to become an announcer?
In fact, I started trying out to be an announcer again because I had nothing to fear. Even if I prepared to join other companies rather than an announcer, I also had to prepare for at least two years. I thought about what would be better for me. There are many people who have a higher level of education and have better qualifications than me, so after considering all these, I came to conclusion that the broadcasting station is the only place where I can use my experience. Thus, I think I was more afraid to give up and regret without trying to become an announcer, which has been my lifelong dream.
#Life as an Announcer
11. You have the title of 'the youngest male announcer on a terrestrial TV station'. Have you ever felt burdened by such a title?
I feel that such a title is rather good and not burdensome. I am still young, so even if I make a mistake due to my immaturity, I have a lot of opportunities to make up for it, and it is also good that I can show people both my naiveness and growth.
12. When it comes to announcers, people usually think of a rigid image for a serious news atmosphere. However, you are giving people fun by showing a flexible stance such as dancing and mimicking other vocal sounds. Why did you try this kind of way?
I think people should wear clothes that fit their mood. I always want to be recognized for growing up as a person in the future even if I show people my clumsy and cute side now. When I ask myself ‘What can I do now?’, I think a lot about what my seniors can’t do, and what I can do well as a young announcer. As the conclusion of this thought, I was able to try dancing on the news show.
13. It is impressive that you calmly deliver entertainment news as soon as the dance and vocal imitation time is over. How do you try to balance between giving fun and announcing the news?
Because I'm not a dancer, I should do both dancing and delivering news, not just dancing. So, I try to get rid of the playfulness as much as possible, and switch modes suddenly. So, with my intentions clear, I do what I am capable of doing at my age and things that entertain people.
14. You are running a YouTube channel called ‘Youth Jeong’ beside your work at MBC. There might be times when it is difficult to work both as an announcer and a YouTuber. How do you manage your time?
I try to use my time as efficiently as possible. Others may think like that too, but as a person who believes that time is much more valuable than money, I think it is important to spend your time doing meaningful things. Instead of exchanging time for money, you should trade time for experience.
15. What kind of content do you want to create for your personal YouTube channel in the future?
I am not making announcer-related content. 'Announcer' is just a keyword to draw people's attention, and that's not my actual goal. My ultimate goal is to create completely independent content from MBC announcer Jeong Young-han and show people who I really am.
16. What has been the biggest change in your life since you became an announcer?
The most valuable thing is that I realized my dream of being an announcer. When you think that your dream has come true, confidence and responsibility follow. I gave up my dream in the middle and started over and got it after a year, but one person told me that I didn't actually give up on my dream, but that I had been running towards being an announcer for 16 years since I was only 10 years old. That seems right. I realized the deep meaning of one step backward for two steps forward, and after that, I am able to think positively even when things don't go well.
17. What kind of announcer do you want to become in the future?
I want to become an announcer who can talk to anyone. By making high parts low and low parts high, I want to create stories that ordinary people can relate to. As an announcer, my goal is to become a person who can get along well in both heavy-duty news, as well as light and fun contents.
#Concluding the Interview
18. How do you want to be remembered/recognized in the future?, as you said, ‘It’s up to them to wonder’.
When I was young, I thought dying was scary. As ‘Jeong Young-han’, I think the way to continue living is to leave as many voices as possible while alive, and leave books to convey my message to people after I’m gone. I want people to see what I left behind and think, ‘this side of him is worthy of following’, and by that, I want to help them live their lives.
19. What does CAU mean to you?
I think CAU is the place where my motivation to achieve my dream began. In the process of taking the entrance exam for universities, I realized that if I am genuine and my story contains sincerity, people will recognize me even if I am not flashy on the outside. So, after this realization, I was able to have a really happy life in university.
20. As CAU alumni, what advice would you give to CAU students?
If you have given a certain strong meaning to something, just be yourself! To do this, you must first know yourself. It's not just about getting good grades during university life. University is a microcosm of society, so I hope CAU students have a lot of experiences and do whatever they want to do. I want to tell you to do what you want to do right now and think it will be fun.
During the interview, CAH was able to see how Jeong Young-han, who has gained various experiences as an announcer, breaks the mold, and does not lose the spirit to challenge. After graduating from CAU, he is currently working as the youngest male announcer on a terrestrial TV station, and is working hard to reach more people in a friendly way, rather than solely concentrating on delivering news. CAH supports him as he passionately runs towards his dream.