Family of the late MBC Weathercaster Oh Yoanna files a lawsuit over workplace bullying

Reports with new details have emerged that late MBC weathercaster Oh Yoanna, who passed away last year, suffered from workplace bullying. Her family has now reportedly filed a civil lawsuit against the alleged perpetrator(s).

According to KBS on January 29, the family filed a lawsuit last month, claiming that the deceased had endured workplace bullying for the past two years. The lawsuit is based on text messages and phone conversations that the deceased had with a colleague before her passing. 

Some of the messages reportedly included statements like, "Was it so bad that I deserved to hear things like this?" and "Did I make such grave mistakes that I deserve to be blamed for the weather team's existence?"

It has also been reported that in her suicide note, she mentioned the names of colleagues she had conflicts with, along with statements such as, "I was treated as if I had no sense of responsibility."

Her family claims that she endured public verbal abuse and humiliation for two years before her death but never received an apology from the perpetrators. They explained their motivation for the lawsuit, saying, "We wished we could go back to that time and stop her suffering. We filed this lawsuit to prevent workplace abuse and the misuse of hierarchical power from happening again."

Additionally, the family has accused MBC of neglecting the issue of workplace bullying and has called for a thorough investigation into the matter.

In response, MBC stated that the late Oh Yoanna never reported such concerns to HR or management but assured that they would launch an investigation if the family requested one.

MBC further emphasized, "The company takes workplace bullying extremely seriously. If any freelance staff or cast members report such incidents or request counseling, we conduct immediate investigations." The network also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified claims and accusations, stating, "Not only does this directly impact the honor of the deceased, but it could also create additional victims."

Meanwhile, MBC's YouTube channel "오늘비와?" ("Will It Rain Today?") has been flooded with critical comments against the weathercasters accused of bullying. On their weather broadcast videos, thousands of comments have appeared, saying things like, "You are the real-life version of Park Yeon Jin (a character from The Glory)," "Why did you bully Oh Yoanna?" "Did you enjoy tormenting her?" "You must have felt relieved, thinking the victim left quietly. Shameless," "I can't watch the weather forecast anymore because it's terrifying," and "You killed someone and are still smiling on air."

However, the weathercasters accused of bullying have not made any public statements regarding the allegations and have continued to appear on broadcasts.

Oh Yoanna passed away in September 2023. She was a former idol trainee and won the title of "Sook (fifth place)" in the 2019 Chunhyang Beauty Pageant. She joined MBC as a public weathercaster in 2021, where she delivered both weekday and weekend weather reports.