Lee Geum-hee

Lee Geum-hee (born on December 12, 1966, in Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean radio presenter, television announcer, television personality, and voice actress. She rose to prominence as a KBS announcer, hosting programs such as 6 o'clock My Hometown,  Love Request, and Power Interview. Particularly, she left a lasting impression on viewers as the host of KBS Morning Garden for 18 years and the narrator of Human Theatre for approximately 10 years, infusing the programs with her distinctive touch. She was known as one of the nation's top broadcasting talents and has been honored with the title of "Nation's Announcer" by the public.

Since 2007 and up to the present day, she has been engaging with listeners through KBS Cool FM's It's Lee Geum-hee, a Good Day to Love, and she also manages her own YouTube channel called My Geum-hee. She also appeared on TV shows, including 2022's Stopping on the Road Once in a While.

Furthermore, she served as an adjunct professor at Sookmyung Women's University, where she has been teaching speaking classes since 1999. As an author, she has written two books, "I Don't Want to Stand Out" and her bestseller "We, Speak Comfortably", which was published in October 2022.

Early years and education
Lee Geum-hee, born on December 11, 1966, in Bulgwang-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, is the fourth daughter of five siblings. Her father was employed as a police officer. Due to financial difficulties faced by her father as a low-level government official, her mother raised her five daughters while working as a hairdresser and tailor.

In her early years, Lee faced health challenges, and doctors had little hope for her survival beyond the age of three. However, her mother, who had previously experienced the loss of a child, wholeheartedly devoted herself to caring for Lee, leading to her growing up in good health. Due to financial constraints, Lee's parents were unable to afford kindergarten for her, resulting in her enrollment in Bulgwang Elementary School at the age of five, despite her birth month falling before January or February. Nonetheless, Lee's mother found solace and joy in observing her daughter flourish and attend school, despite the initial concerns about her health.

Because Lee's mother was an attentive listener, Lee enjoyed sharing every detail of her day with her. This habit played a vital role in the development of her speaking skills and her ability to be an attentive listener herself.

In the fifth grade of elementary school, Lee and her friends had the fortunate opportunity to attend a KBS show called Who is Better at Who? a KBS nursery rhyme contest program, where She was captivated by the female host. This experience had a profound impact on her, and she decided to become an announcer. During her time as a student at Dongmyeong Girls' High School, Lee was also actively involved in broadcasting activities.

She graduated from high school in 1984,  and when choosing a university, one of the criteria she considered was whether there was an on-campus broadcasting station. She went on to study Political Science at Sookmyung Women's University and graduated in 1988.

Early career in radio and terrestrial television
During her senior year in 1987, she participated in the announcer exams for both KBS and MBC. However, she was eliminated in the final interview for both broadcasters. Nevertheless, this setback did not discourage her from pursuing her career aspirations. Instead, she began working as a radio reporter, securing a position through a special hiring program designed for individuals who did not pass the final interview. It was during her time as a radio reporter that she crossed paths with announcer Jung Eun-ah. However, after working for nearly four months, she eventually decided to resign, likely due to exhaustion. Additionally, she briefly worked as a secretary at a company, making sure to leave work on time in order to study for the announcer's exam.

In February 1989, she mustered the courage to participate in the 16th KBS announcer public recruitment and she finally was recruited. Upon joining the company, her first program was a radio show called On the Wings of Song. Subsequently, she had the opportunity to host the KBS Creative Children's Song Contest, which served as the successor to Who is Better at Who? which was a show that had played a significant role in fueling Lee's dream of becoming an announcer. Being a part of it was both an honor and a somewhat surreal experience for her.

During her early days at KBS, the announcer director commented on Lee being the most old-fashioned among the other announcers. Despite being from Seoul, she was considered less fashionable compared to the other flashy and sophisticated announcers. However, it was precisely for this reason that she was chosen as the host of 6 o'clock My Hometown in 1991. Lee saw this opportunity as a chance for personal growth and focused on developing her strengths. During that time, she even wrote an essay titled 'Clumsy Announcer' to express her concerns, and it was later published in a middle school Korean Textbook.

Lee Geum-hee began to gain recognition from the public in June 1998 when she started hosting KBS Morning Garden. The image of her quietly nodding her head at the performers' words while holding her microphone with both hands became her trademark. She continued in this role for 18 years until the sudden cancellation notice on June 30, 2016. As the host of KBS Morning Garden, Lee Geum-hee conducted interviews with 23,500 individuals.

While working as an announcer, she pursued her Master's degree. She obtained her Master's Degree in Journalism from the Graduate School of Media and Public Relations at Yonsei University in 1999. Her thesis was titled "A Study on Facilitator Preferences According to the Genre of Television Programs."

Career as freelancer
In 2000, after precisely 11 years and 8 months of working at KBS, Lee made the courageous decision to step out of her comfort zone. She resigned from her position at KBS but remained connected to the network as a freelancer, hosting her existing radio shows Lee Geum-hee's Song Walk and television programs like KBS Morning Garden.

A year prior, in 1999, was a transitional period for her. Lee was actually promoted as Deputy General Manager of announcer's office in KBS. After She had just graduated from graduate school, Lee took on the role of an adjunct professor, teaching speaking classes at her alma mater, the Department of Information Broadcasting at Sookmyung Women's University. Alongside her teaching responsibilities, she actively participated in various activities, including mentoring students. It was during that time that she experienced health issues due to the pressure of writing her graduate thesis and even writing a book. She devoted herself to writing books from 7 p.m. to midnight every day, which caused her blood pressure to drop as low as 80/60 at one point, and she fainted three times while doing a broadcast. Faced with a sense of crisis that she would collapse if she continued like that, she decided to resign.

After transitioning into freelance work, her workload increased significantly. She assumed responsibility for the administrative tasks previously handled as the Deputy General Manager of the announcer's office, including managing inquiries about her resignation and handling reporters' requests for coverage. During this time, she exclusively worked with KBS for a period of time. One of the shows she participated in was the KBS human documentary series called Human Theatre. As a narrator, Lee mesmerized viewers with her storytelling for five years. To her, Human Theatre is like a "living textbook" where she constantly learns and experiences something new with each production. She becomes deeply immersed in the stories, often laughing and shedding tears more than anyone else. That's why she considers the opportunity to be the narrator for "Human Theater" as a fortunate and blessed one.

In addition to hosting Human Theatre, Lee took on the role of the host for "TV Fairy Tale Happy World" on Korea Broadcasting 1 Television starting from April 2001. As a freelancer, Lee has consistently received love from viewers as a heartwarming messenger through various KBS programs, including Morning Garden, Lee Geum-hee's Music Stroll, Human Theatre, and TV Fairy Tale Happy World.

In 2005, Lee was chosen as the host of the interview program Power Interview on KBS1TV, which airs every Saturday at 11 p.m. Power Interview was a revamped version of the program that was previously hosted by actress Shim Hye-jin. It features in-depth interviews with influential figures from various fields, aiming to convey their philosophies, inner worlds, ideologies, and visions. The new version of the program seeks to enhance the expertise of the MC and panelists while incorporating entertaining elements. The panelists have been revamped to include notable individuals such as Jin Jung-kwon, Oh Ji-hye, Professor Chae Jung-ho, and Nancy Lang. The program began airing on November 5.

On May 22, 2006, Lee became master of ceremony of Sookmyung Women's University's 100th Anniversary. Sookmyung Women's University held a commemorative ceremony on the campus at Renaissance Plaza outdoor stage with more than 1,000 people in attendance, including former Prime Minister Goh Kun, Ewha Womans University President Shin In-ryeong, Korea University President Eo Yun-dae, and 32 delegations of presidents from 18 universities in 10 countries.

In 2007, She became the host of the radio show It's Lee Geum-hee, a Good Day to Love on KBS Cool FM. The show, airs every day at 6:00 pm local time. The first broadcast's guest was Kim Hye-soo.

In 2009, Lee Geum-hee made a cameo appearance alongside announcer Son Bum-soo in the film Take-off. Lee portrayed MC in a program where the main character Cha Heon-tae (played by Ha Jung-woo) embarked on a search for his mother. She showcased her well-honed acting skills in this role. Furthermore, Lee Geum-hee also made special appearances and worked as a voice actor in films such as Lee Keum-hee's Top Star, My Father, and Cracked Eggs and Noodles.

In 2010, Lee Geum-hee's talk show, titled Lee Geum-hee's Special Encounter, premiered on December 10 at 10 pm through KBS Prime. This solo-hosted talk show by Lee Geum-hee has garnered attention as her first since the program Power Interview in 2005. The talk show invites prominent figures, often referred to as "nouns", who are active in diverse fields such as politics, economics, culture, arts, and sports. Its purpose is to delve into their captivating stories of success, love, and life, which are often more dramatic than fictional dramas themselves. Lee Geum-hee, renowned as one of the best interviewers in South Korea, embarked on a new transformation by blending her friendly and warm image showcased during morning broadcasts with an intellectual and sophisticated hosting style.

In 2016, Lee's sudden departure from the cultural program Morning Garden on KBS has left online viewers feeling regretful. After hosting the show for 18 years since 1998, Lee Geum-hee stepped down due to KBS's internal policy of prioritizing internal personnel over external staff. This decision is seen as a response to the challenging market situation and competition with other channels. Despite being a symbol of Morning Garden and having no political controversies or significant criticisms, Lee Geum-hee's departure came as a surprise to co-hosts and viewers, leading to disappointment expressed through social media and article comments. Netizens drew comparisons to other retirements in the entertainment industry, and some criticized KBS's decision and questioned the justifications provided.

On September 10, 2021, Lee won the Narrator Award at the '48th Korea Broadcasting Awards' hosted by the Korea Broadcasting Association for EBS "Travel to Korea". Lee Geum-hee joined as the narrator in 2009. It is a living field documentary program that explores the hidden landscapes of South Korea. It airs on EBS1 at 21:30 on weekdays (Monday to Friday).

On March 25, 2022, the Korean Society of Laryngeal Speech and Speech Medicine, under the chairmanship of Choi Seung-ho, selected announcer Lee Geum-hee as the recipient of the title for the person with the most beautiful voice and appointed her as an honorary ambassador. Following her appointment, Announcer Lee Geum-hee delivered a lecture on the theme of 'Beautiful Voices and Our Stories'.

Lee took part in the 957th episode of a quiz show Conflict in Korean.

Philanthropy
Lee's commitment to charity causes is evident in her consistent donation of ten percent of her income. She also contributed to helping overseas children with disabilities. In 2003 Lee was appointed as a director of the Open World National Cultural Movement, an organization for people with disabilities. During her tenure, Lee promoted in raising awareness about people with disabilities.

Moreover, she utilizes her voice to create a positive impact across various sectors of society, generously contributing her talent to narration projects. In April 2013, Lee generously lent her talent as a narrator for the KBS 3 Radio special live broadcast titled "Sound, Sight, and Touch" in honor of the "International Day of Disabled Persons" (April 20). The event took place at the KBS New Building Auditorium in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 15th at 3 pm and was attended by approximately 250 invited disabled individuals and their families.

Furthermore, in 2020, Lee participated as a narrator in a fundraising campaign to help neighbors affected by disasters organized by the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association (Chairman Song Pil-ho), an organization specializing in disaster relief fundraising. In the video, which was available from June 1, Lee delivered a message of overcoming disasters. The video showcases the sincerity of the people gathered at Hope Bridge whenever major disasters occur in Korea, such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic, Pohang earthquake, typhoon damage, west coast oil spill accident, and apartment fire in Uijeongbu. It highlights how they were able to overcome both large and small disasters. Lee Geum-hee's sincere voice adds depth to the video.

On November 11, 2022, on 'Farmer's Day,' Lee Geum-hee and Professor Suh Kyung-deok from Sungshin Women's University collaborated to release a multilingual video titled 'Bee's Gift.' This 4-minute video was created as part of KB Financial Group's 'K-Bee' project and has been released in both Korean and English, reaching a wide audience. The video explores the value and significance of 'urban beekeeping,' which has recently gained attention as a part of urban agriculture. It highlights the various contributions of honey bees in cities, such as the production of diverse agricultural products, their role as pollinators, the harmony between humans and nature, and the creation of urban job opportunities. The primary objective of this video project is to raise awareness and advocate for the preservation and restoration of the honey bee ecosystem.

On May 10, 2021, the Purme Foundation announced that announcer Lee Geum-hee had allocated the proceeds from the auction of collections held during a YouTube live event on the 3rd to support rehabilitation treatment for children with disabilities.