Lee Ji-ae (born May 13, 1981) is a South Korean former announcer and television personality. She is a former cast member in the variety show Real Men.[1]

Lee Ji-ae
Born (1981-05-13) May 13, 1981 (age 43)
EducationSungshin Women's University
Hanyang University
Spouse
Kim Jung-geun
(m. 2010)
Children2
Korean name
Hangul
이지애
Hanja
李智愛
Revised RomanizationI Ji-ae
McCune–ReischauerYi Chiae

Career

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In 2006 Lee passed the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) announcer recruitment exercise and was part of the 32nd batch of announcers. Initially she also applied to join the Republic of Korea Army but received her acceptance letter from KBS first, hence her career choice.[2]

She was first posted to the Gangneung office and presented special features and programs concerning rural affairs (Gangneung is located in the mainly rural Gangwon Province) and KBS1TV's flagship arts and culture program Culture Zone (문화지대).[3] In 2008 she replaced Lee Hyo-ri as one of the MCs of popular talk show SangSangPlus (상상 플러스), garnering her greater public recognition and praise from viewers.[4] Since then she went on to host programs such as Top Band and the KBS Entertainment Awards.[5][6]

In 2014 she resigned from KBS and signed with ChorokbaemJuna E&M, which later became Starit Entertainment following a series of mergers.[7] Following her resignation from KBS, she went on a brief hiatus to earn her master's degree at Hanyang University.[8]

Personal life

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In 2010, Lee married former MBC announcer Kim Jung-geun.[9] The couple have a daughter (born in 2017) and a son (born in 2019).[10][11]

Her husband's role as one of the union leaders during the 2012 KBS and MBC joint strike came to light, partly due to the fact that the couple worked for the competing broadcasters. After the strike ended, Kim was suspended and had his financial assets frozen when the president of MBC sued him and a fellow employee for leading the strike. In response, Lee expressed her support for her husband during an interview and publicly called on the government to intervene.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "'The Real Man' Female Soldier Special Features Rigorous Fitness Test Including Running To Push-Ups". kpopstarz. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  2. ^ "KBS 이지애 아나, "여군 시험에 합격했었다"". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 14 June 2008.
  3. ^ "이지애 아나운서, KBS '문화지대' 진행" (in Korean). Korean Broadcasting System. 27 November 2007.
  4. ^ "'상상 플러스' 새 안방마님 이지애 아나운서는 누구?". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 9 July 2008.
  5. ^ "이지애 아나, 아찔몸매+쇄골노출…섹시의상". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 16 September 2012.
  6. ^ "신동엽-수지-이지애, 'KBS 연예대상' 3MC 호흡". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 4 December 2012.
  7. ^ "이지애, 초록뱀주나 E&M과 전속계약..최희와 한솥밥". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 30 July 2014.
  8. ^ "2015학년도 후기 언론정보대학원 학위수여식 관련 기사" (in Korean). Hanyang University Graduate School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 12 September 2016.
  9. ^ "KBS 이지애-MBC 김정근 아나운서 화촉" (in Korean). Korean Broadcasting System. 9 October 2010.
  10. ^ "김정근 아나운서, 재입사한 MBC 떠난다…"두 번의 퇴사"". Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). 6 March 2023.
  11. ^ "이지애♥김정근, 오늘(26일) 득남..1남 1녀 부모 됐다 "산모·아이 모두 건강" [종합]". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 26 July 2019.
  12. ^ "이지애 KBS 아나 "朴정부가 MBC 문제 해결해야"". Media Today (in Korean). 21 December 2012.
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