'Crime Chief' releases the workplace bullying group chat linked to the late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna

It has been revealed that the late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna attempted suicide twice before her death.

On January 31, the bereaved family shared on JTBC's 'Crime Chief' that the late Oh Yoanna narrowly escaped danger twice just days before passing away. They stated, "She first attempted (suicide) on September 6 last year and then tried again later. Eventually, she passed away on September 15." The family claimed that she suffered from verbal abuse by a fellow weathercaster for about two years and endured bullying. She confided in friends that "working was so tough that she wanted to die" and shared that she "visited over ten psychiatrists to receive medication."

One of Oh Yoanna's family members shared in the interview with 'Crime Chief,' that "On September 6th last year, at around 2 AM, I received a call. She was trying to jump off the Gayang Bridge, but an elderly woman passing by grabbed her hair, pulled her down, reported it, and the police came and protected her at the station. When asked, 'Why did you try to die?' She said, 'Work is hard. My spine feels like it's breaking, and my intestines feel like they are being torn apart. Life is too painful, and I want peace.' When I said, 'This is serious. We need to hospitalize you for six months with family consent,' she responded, 'I have broadcasts to do. I've signed ad contracts that I need to film... I won't die; I just did it out of anger.'"

The content of a KakaoTalk group chat, in which fellow weathercasters harassed her, was also revealed. One weathercaster wrote, "(Oh Yoanna) is completely crazy. Let's leave the group chat. She smells bad. XX is the same," adding, "That b**** talked back to me even though I was dealing with her. ('The Glory') Yeon Jin at least did well on TV. She (Oh Yoanna) plays the victim so much. We are the victims."

The bereaved family said, "There is a group chat they made themselves," adding, "They said things like 'This rude b**** don’t even listen when told to dress properly.' 'Let's not treat them as juniors.' They also insulted, saying, 'This crazy b****, comes to morning broadcasts smelling of alcohol without even washing.' They made her out to be completely crazy."

According to the bereaved family, after Oh Yoanna appeared on 'You Quiz on the Block,' it became the trigger for everyone to start targeting her as they were jealous. She passed away in September 2024, but the news of her death was only made public three months later in December. 

A 17-page suicide note was found on her phone, detailing workplace harassment by two weathercasters. The bereaved family has filed a civil lawsuit against the two identified perpetrators at the Seoul Central District Court. They said, "When we protested that no internal obituary was posted, MBC responded that 'It was ordered by a high-ranking official.' It seems like they are trying to cover it up systematically. We will uncover the truth and demand an apology to the end."

On January 28, MBC stated, "The deceased never reported any grievances to her department or managers while working as a freelancer," and added, "We express concerns about forces attempting to use this issue as a means to undermine MBC without knowing the accurate facts." This statement received criticism. A netizen reported MBC President Ahn Hyung Jun, department heads, and the two weathercasters accused of harassment to the Seoul Mapo Police Station and the Ministry of Employment and Labor through the National Sinmungo (public complaints platform).

Finally, four months after Oh Yoanna's death, a fact-finding committee was formed. The day before, MBC announced, "We have decided to form a fact-finding committee chaired by external experts. We will begin preparations over the weekend and officially start early next week. We conducted an internal investigation and plan to support efforts to swiftly uncover the truth. We will do our utmost to heal the bereaved family's pain."

Oh Yoanna was a former idol trainee. She passed the JYP 13th open audition in 2017 and was selected as 'Miss Sook' in the 2019 Chunhyang Selection Contest. In 2021, she was hired as a weathercaster for MBC, covering weekday and weekend weather. The following year, she appeared on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block,' gaining attention.