Lee Geum-hee

Lee Geum-hee (; born on December 12, 1966, in Seoul, South Korea) is a South Korean radio presenter, television announcer, television personality, and voice actress. She became known as a KBS announcer, hosting programs such as 6 o'clock My Hometown, Love Request, and Power Interview. She notably hosted KBS Morning Garden for 18 years and the narrator of Human Theatre for approximately 10 years. She was known as one of the nation's top broadcasting talents and recognized by public with the title of "Nation's Announcer".

Since 2007, Lee has been hosting KBS Cool FM's It's Lee Geum-hee, a Good Day to Love and manages her YouTube channel, My Geum-hee. Her television appearances include the 2022 show Stopping on the Road Once in a While. Additionally, she has been an Sookmyung Women's University, since 1999, teaching speaking classes. She is the author of two books, I Don't Want to Stand Out and the bestseller We, Speak Comfortably, published in October 2022.

Lee's mother was a supportive listener, which encouraged Lee to share the details of her day. This habit helped her develop strong speaking skills and attentive listening abilities.

Career

1987 to 1999: Broadcasting Career at KBS In 1987, during her senior year, Lee participated in the announcer recruitment exams for both KBS and MBC, but was eliminated in the final interview stage. Undeterred, she worked briefly as a radio reporter through a special hiring program for individuals who did not pass the final interview, where she met announcer Jung Eun-ah. After approximately four months, she resigned and also worked briefly as a secretary, dedicating her off-hours to preparing for the announcer exam. As the host, Lee conducted interviews with 23,500 individuals.

"Announcer Lee Geum-hee, while hosting the broadcast, never puts herself in the spotlight. Yet, she possesses a special charm that prevents one person from overshadowing another, all while maintaining a gentle and smooth flow." — This decision followed a transitional period in 1999, during which she was promoted to Deputy General Manager of the announcer's office at KBS. After completing her master's degree, Lee also became an adjunct professor, teaching speaking classes at her alma mater, Sookmyung Women's University, and mentoring students. During this time, the pressure of writing her graduate thesis and a book led to health issues, including fainting episodes due to low blood pressure, prompting her decision to resign from her full-time role.

After transitioning to freelance work, her workload increased significantly. She took on administrative tasks previously handled by the Deputy General Manager of the announcer's office, including managing inquiries about her resignation and handling requests for coverage from reporters. In addition to Human Theatre, Lee began hosting TV Fairy Tale Happy World" on Korea Broadcasting 1 Television in April 2001. As a freelancer, she continued to be a popular presenter across various KBS programs, including Morning Garden, Lee Geum-hee's Music Stroll, Human Theatre, and TV Fairy Tale Happy World.

In 2005, Lee was selected as the host of Power Interview on KBS1TV, an interview program airing Saturdays at 11 p.m. This revamped show, previously hosted by actress Shim Hye-jin, featured in-depth interviews with influential figures from diverse fields to convey their philosophies and visions. The new format, which began airing on November 5, aimed to enhance expertise with revamped panelists including Jin Jung-kwon, Oh Ji-hye, Professor Chae Jung-ho, and Nancy Lang.

On May 22, 2006, Lee became master of ceremony of Sookmyung Women's University's 100th Anniversary. Sookmyung Women's University held a commemorative ceremony on the campus at Renaissance Plaza outdoor stage with more than 1,000 people in attendance, including former Prime Minister Goh Kun, Ewha Womans University President Shin In-ryeong, Korea University President Eo Yun-dae, and 32 delegations of presidents from 18 universities in 10 countries. airing daily at 6:00 p.m. local time, with Kim Hye-soo as the first broadcast's guest.

Lee also expanded into acting, making a cameo appearance in the 2009 film Take-off alongside announcer Son Bum-soo, portraying an MC in a program where the main character Cha Heon-tae (played by Ha Jung-woo) searches for his mother. She also made special appearances and worked as a voice actress in films such as Top Star, My Father, and Cracked Eggs and Noodles.

In 2010, her talk show, Lee Geum-hee's Special Encounter, premiered on December 10 on KBS Prime. This program invited prominent figures to delve into their stories of success, love, and life, marking Lee's first solo-hosted talk show since Power Interview in 2005.

In 2016, Lee's unexpected departure from KBS Morning Garden after 18 years, where she had hosted since 1998, caused public regret. Her stepping down was attributed to KBS's internal policy of prioritizing internal personnel over external staff, a decision reportedly influenced by market competition. Despite her long tenure and lack of controversy, her departure surprised co-hosts and viewers, leading to public disappointment and criticism of KBS's decision.

On September 10, 2021, Lee received the Narrator Award at the '48th Korea Broadcasting Prizes,' hosted by the Korea Broadcasters Association, for her work on EBS's Travel to Korea. She joined the living field documentary program, which explores South Korea's hidden landscapes, as a narrator in 2009.

On March 25, 2022, the Korean Society of Laryngeal Speech and Speech Medicine honored Lee by selecting her as the recipient of the title for the person with the most beautiful voice and appointing her as an honorary ambassador. Following this, she delivered a lecture on 'Beautiful Voices and Our Stories'. Lee also participated in the 957th episode of the quiz show Conflict in Korean. and supporting children with disabilities overseas. In 2003, Lee was appointed as a director of the Open World National Cultural Movement, an organization focused on people with disabilities, where she worked to promote awareness.

Lee frequently utilizes her voice for narration projects that create a positive social impact. In April 2013, she provided narration for the KBS 3 Radio special live broadcast "Sound, Sight, and Touch," held in honor of the "International Day of Disabled Persons" (April 20). The event took place at the KBS New Building Auditorium in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, and was attended by approximately 250 invited individuals with disabilities and their families.

In 2020, Lee participated as a narrator in a fundraising campaign organized by the Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association to assist neighbors affected by disasters. The video, released on June 1, highlighted how people gathered at Hope Bridge to overcome significant disasters in Korea, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pohang earthquake, and various typhoon damages. On May 10, 2021, the Purme Foundation announced that Lee had allocated proceeds from an auction held during a YouTube live event to support rehabilitation treatment for children with disabilities.

Furthermore, on November 11, 2022 (Farmer's Day), Lee collaborated with Professor Suh Kyung-deok of Sungshin Women's University to release "Bee's Gift," a multilingual video (Korean and English). The video aimed to raise awareness about the value of urban beekeeping and advocate for the preservation and restoration of the honey bee ecosystem.

Filmography Radio

+Radio broadcasts of Lee Geum-heeYearTitleRoleNetwork English Korean 1991–1993 On the Wings of KBS Radio Song PresenterKBS Classic FM 1993 KBS Radio FM Home Music KBS 라디오 FM가정음악 Presenter 1997–1998 Lee Geum-hee's Studio 891 이금희의 스튜디오 891 PresenterKBS Cool FMNovember 3, 1997 – October 11, 1998 1998–2007 Lee Geum-hee's Song Walk Presenter October 12, 1998, to April 15, 2007 2007–present Lee Geum-hee, It's a Good Day to Love PresenterKBS Cool FMApril 16, 2007, to Present 2010–presentTo the Forest of Music with Lee Geum-hee이금희와 함께 음악의 숲을Presenter 2014–2019Multicultural Music Trip다문화 음악여행PresenterEBS Radio

Television program

신년특집 2부작 'SBS스페셜' Host

2009–present Travel to Korea|한국기행 Narrator 2010–2011 Lee Geum-hee's Special Encounter|이금희의 특별한 만남 Talk Show Host 2011 KBS Special Project Social Capital|KBS 특별기획 사회적 자본 Narrator 2016–2017 다큐공감 Narrator

SBS Feature Documentary| Narrator Episode 500: Network Specialties Greenway Revives the City KBS Special: Danish political festival records 'co-op' for 5 days| KBS 스페셜 Narrator July 6, 2017 2021 Bride X Game|브라이드x클럽 Panelist Pilot Episodes 2021–2022 Documentary On 다큐On Narrator

2022–present 동물극장 단짝 Narrator

2023 Somehow Adult''어쩌다 어른Main CasttvN

Web show 이금희 '마이 금희' Host YouTube Channel 2021 Rough Field|거침마당 Host with Park Myung-soo Kakao TV Original 2022 Join My Table''조인 마이 테이블Host with Park Sang-youngWatcha Original

Film

Television series

Accolades

Awards and nominations +Year presented, name of the award ceremony, award category, nominated work and the result of the nominationYearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.199825th Korea Broadcasting PrizesFemale Announcer AwardMorning Gardenname=Purun Award|group=noteLanguage Award 2019KBS Entertainment Awards DJ of the Year AwardLee Geum-hee, a good day to love 202148th Voice actor/Narration AwardEBS Travel to Korea

State honors

Listicle