Oh Yoanna’s tragic suicide exposes alleged toxic workplace culture.
SHAH ALAM - MBC weathercaster Kim Ga-young has resigned from her broadcasting role following allegations that she bullied her late colleague, Oh Yoanna, who died by suicide last year.
The accusations surfaced after the discovery of Oh’s 17-page suicide note, which detailed years of workplace harassment.
Kim Ga-young Resigns from MBC Amid Controversy
Kim’s company, Good Morning FM, officially announced her departure live on air on Feb 4. She had been a regular host on the show since 2019.
“After yesterday’s broadcast, weathercaster Kim Ga-young expressed her intention to step down. After discussions with her, the production team accepted her decision,” Good Morning FM stated.
The controversy surrounding Kim has also put her other media appearances at risk. The production team of SBS’s reality programme Kick a Goal confirmed that discussions are underway regarding her potential removal. Meanwhile, the YouTube channel Hello TV X The Life has suspended content featuring her pending the results of MBC’s internal investigation.
Oh Yoanna’s Allegations and the 17-Page Suicide Note
Oh joined MBC as a weathercaster in May 2021 and reportedly began experiencing workplace bullying less than a year later. Her tragic death on September 15, 2024, initially received little media attention until reports emerged in December 2024.
The details became more alarming after her phone’s password was unlocked, revealing a lengthy suicide note describing the harassment she endured.
According to Maeil Shinmun, Oh’s note specifically accused two colleagues of bullying her. She detailed how her mistakes were exaggerated, how she was unfairly blamed for errors, and how her attempts to correct inaccurate weather information were met with scorn.
“A junior daring to correct a senior” was reportedly how her efforts were dismissed.
In response, Oh’s family filed a civil lawsuit against two of her colleagues, accusing them of workplace harassment. They claimed she had endured two years of mistreatment, which ultimately led to her suicide.
Claims of Systematic Bullying and New Insider Testimonies
The controversy deepened after multiple sources came forward with allegations against Kim and other weathercasters.
On Jan 31, the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute released a recorded phone call with an anonymous MBC insider, identified as ‘A,’ who supported the claims of workplace bullying.
“Destroying someone’s self-esteem is not just about yelling or being harsh to their face. People pretended to be nice to Oh Yoanna in person but isolated her behind her back, saying things like ‘a girl without XXX is just a nobody,’” the insider described.
The insider also alleged that Kim tried to sabotage Oh’s friendship with broadcaster Jang Sung-kyu. According to the source, Kim told Jang, “Oppa, she is a liar. She has no decency.”
This led Jang to confront Oh, saying, “I heard you lie a lot.” When Oh asked who made the claim, he replied, “Kim Ga-young did.”
Online Outrage and Public Backlash
The growing allegations have triggered a wave of public anger, with many condemning Kim online. Social media users have compared the case to the Netflix drama The Glory, which portrays severe school bullying.
Comments such as “She wants to appear nice, but she is manipulative and greedy” and “It is terrifying how she put Jang Sung-kyu in a difficult position” have flooded online platforms.
A video by the far-right YouTube channel Hoverlab, titled The Real Murderers Are Kim Ga-young and Lee Hyun-seung, directly accused the two of orchestrating a campaign of covert bullying against Oh.
MBC’s Response and Ongoing Investigation
MBC has announced the formation of an independent fact-finding committee led by legal experts to investigate the workplace bullying allegations. The broadcaster has also disabled comments on the social media accounts of all four forecasters implicated in the case.
Meanwhile, the Seoul Central District Court has received a lawsuit from Oh’s family, seeking damages against the accused colleagues. The police have also launched a separate internal investigation based on complaints filed through the National Petition Service. While Kim has resigned from Good Morning FM, her fate on Kick a Goal remains uncertain.
“We are waiting for the investigation results before making a decision,” SBS stated.
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