A Korean Anchor Wore Glasses On Broadcast For The First Time, Here’s Why It Was Such A Huge Deal

This Korean anchor is slowly changing the society with her glasses!
Stories
Koreaboo

Korean newscaster Im Hyun Ju appeared on the April 10, 2018 broadcast News Today morning news program with glasses and, while this might at first not seem like a big deal, it had a tremendous impact on Korean society.

 

Im Hyun Ju is now one of the only two female newscasters to have worn glasses on the news. She is the first to have done so on an official news program as its regular newscaster, in the history of all live news programs on Korea’s three major broadcasting channels.

 

After the news, Im Hyun Ju uploaded a picture sharing her thoughts about this change.

I went on the news with glasses on today. I didn’t have to wear fake lashes, so I didn’t have to wear too much make-up. My eyes didn’t dry out as much, so I didn’t need eyedrops that I couldn’t live without. But because I had glasses on, everyone asked me “Why are you wearing glasses?” this morning.

— Im Hyun Ju

 

The internet reacted with praise and encouragement for the newscaster’s decision to break the unwritten tradition.

 

Korea has always had high beauty standards when it came to newscasters. While there is no regulation to limit female newscasters from wearing glasses, most female newscasters shared they feel the social pressure to look “fancy” and “flawlessly beautiful”. This, in turn, has created a mutual agreement among the female newscasters not to wear glasses, since no one else wears them.

I wanted to show people that it’s okay for female newscasters to wear glasses on the news as well. Whether it is refreshing or strange, it should trigger new perspective, I hope. Just because I’m a ‘female’ newscaster does not mean I cannot wear glasses, and I certainly hope no one sees my glasses as a distraction to watching the news.

— Im Hyun Ju

 

Im Hyun Ju stated that, while her decision to wear glasses may seem like a surprise and a one-time event, she is going to continue “feeling comfortable to wear glasses when [she’d] like.” In fact, she has appeared wearing glasses again the next morning, empowering her fellow female newscasters to break the unreasonable beauty standards.

 

Im Hyun Ju posted a longer statement about her decision after the second day of going glasses-on.

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매일 진행하던 뉴스에서 단지 안경을 썼을 뿐인데 생각지 못한 관심을 받았습니다. 아마 이 안경 하나가 그동안 각자 안경을 쓰며 겪었던 경험과 불편함을 떠올리게 한게 아닐까 합니다. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 아직 답장하지 못한 메시지가 있는데 얼마전 아나운서 시험을 봤다는 한 지원자의 이야기였습니다. 평소에 안경을 끼지만 카메라테스트에 렌즈를 끼고 갔다가 익숙지않아 프롬프터가 잘 보이지 않았다고. 그런데 이제 무리하게 렌즈를 끼지 않아도 되겠구나 안경을 써도 되지 않을까 용기를 얻었다고요. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 안경과 렌즈를 번갈아 사용하는 분들은 이렇게 알게 모르게 ‘안경=성의부족 혹은 민낯용’ 같은 시선에 불편함을 감수하는 부분이 있었을 겁니다. 특히 직업적으로 보여지는 경우 안경을 끼는데 적어도 이유가 있거나 잘 어울려야만 자신있게 쓸 수 있을 것 같은 분위기가 있죠. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 저도 왜 안경을 꼈냐는 질문을 많이 받았습니다.현실적인 필요에서 시작됐습니다. 아침뉴스를 진행하면 새벽 일찍부터 일어나야 하는데 부족한 수면시간, 부족한 준비시간에 나도 가끔은 안경을 끼고 싶다 생각하게 된거죠. 시간과 피로감을 줄인 만큼 뉴스에 더 집중할 수 있을 것 같았고요. 그런데 누구도 그러지 말라고 한 적 없었음에도 하지 않았던 걸 먼저 하는데는 약간의 용기가 필요했습니다. 혹여 안경 안어울린다는 말이라도 들으면 더 대꾸 못하고 위축될것 같았거든요. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ‘만약 내가 더 시간이 지나 렌즈를 끼기 힘들고 꼭 안경을 써야 할 때가 온다면 어떻게 될까’ 아마 방송을 하는 분들은 한번 쯤 해본 고민이지 않을까 합니다. 그런데 저도 이제 그런 고민 하지 않으려고요. 시청자들도 앵커의 외모가 아닌 뉴스의 본질에 집중해줄거란 믿음을 얻었습니다. 오랜 시간 안경 쓰는 것에 선을 그었던건 ‘어쩌면 내가 가진 막연한 두려움이었구나’ 알게 해주셔서 감사합니다. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 내일도 안경을 쓸 건지 질문을 받을 때 되레 안경을 안 쓰면 서운해 하실 것 같다 웃었는데요. 안경을 쓰든 쓰지 않든 그것이 더이상 특별하게 시선을 끌거나 낯설게 느껴지지 않게 되길 바라봅니다. 중요한 건 그게 아니니까요. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #닥터슬럼프아리 #별명은덤

A post shared by 임현주 l PINK FISH (@anna_hyunju) on

I have received so much attention for simply putting on glasses on a news program that I have been casting everyday. I believe my glasses have reminded everyone who has worn, or had to take off, their glasses of their personal experiences.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I received a message, which I haven’t been able to reply to yet, from a recent applicant who auditioned to become a newscaster. She said she usually wears glasses, but for the camera test, she decided to wear contacts. Since she’s not used to wearing lenses, however, she couldn’t read the prompter well. She messaged me saying she feels like she won’t have to feel forced to wear lenses, and that she found the courage to wear glasses instead.

Those of you ladies who wear both glasses and contacts know that the society sees glasses as either being too casual or for hiding a bare face. Especially in the work place, you may have felt that there is a certain pressure to wear glasses only if there is a very good reason or if you looked even better in glasses.

I was asked tons of questions about my glasses too. My decision came out of sheer practicality. For me to go live in the morning for my news program, I have to get up early. And because I lack sleep and time in the morning, I felt it would be so convenient if I could throw on my glasses instead. And by doing that, I’d be saving myself the time and effort that I could put into delivering the news instead.

Unfortunately, while no one openly stopped me from wearing glasses, I still needed a lot of courage to be the first to do what no one else is doing. What if someone said I don’t look good in glasses? I’d feel so small, I wouldn’t be able to answer.

What if more time passes and I can no longer wear contact lenses? What if a time comes when I have to wear glasses? I’m sure other newscasters also think about this too. But I don’t want to worry about such things anymore. I have faith in my viewers, faith that they will focus on the news I’m casting and not the glasses I’m wearing. So, thank you, for helping me realize that the uncertain fear I had of wearing glasses on live news is merely a fear.

Now, people ask me if I will be wearing glasses on the next show. I tell them I’d be disappointing so many people if I didn’t. But I hope for the time to come—the time when my glasses are no longer the talk of the century, the time when whether I have glasses on or not is no longer strange or special. Because my glasses are not what is important, after all.

— Im Hyun Ju

Im Hyun Ju’s statement is inspiring both men and women nationwide. Koreans are looking forward to seeing Im Hyun Ju and other female newscasters be more natural and comfortable on the monitor.

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