Ahn Sun-young reveals Lee Kyung-sil's 'unexpected shield'

Broadcaster Ahn Sun-young revealed an anecdote about comedian Lee Kyung-sil, who protected her during her rookie days. At the time, rumors spread that Lee had harshly scolded a junior and made her cry, but Ahn's explanation was the exact opposite. Rather, Lee intentionally took on the role of the 'villain' by publicly reprimanding her to shield her from the cold stares of other seniors.

In a video released on the YouTube channel 'Ahn Sun-young's Double Life' on the 27th, Ahn looked back on her life in the broadcasting industry during her early debut. The video includes her discussing the attitudes and human qualities she learned from seniors she has long respected, such as Kim Gook-jin, Lee Kyung-sil, and Seo Kyung-seok.

Ahn recalled that during her rookie days, she often said, "I want to become the second Lee Kyung-sil." However, the reactions from those around her at the time were not all favorable.

She shared the atmosphere of the time, saying, "Other female seniors would say, 'Who do you think you are?', 'Who are you to...', or 'You're not even a traditional type, and you're not even funny.'"

It was a time when it was difficult for rookie celebrities to produce content under their own names or communicate directly with fans through SNS as they do now. In an environment where broadcasters, production teams, and senior-junior relationships had a significant impact on a celebrity's scope of activity, the mere fact that a newly debuted junior publicly mentioned her role model could have been perceived as burdensome by some seniors.

Ahn also confessed about her personality at the time, saying, "I was such a coward that I would cry just because a senior glared at me. My nickname was 'Crybaby.' I would cry whenever someone said something to me."

It was that difficult for her as a rookie to endure the hierarchy and atmosphere of the broadcasting field.

To such an Ahn, Lee became a source of strength in an unexpected way.

Recalling her appearance on a famous talk show, Ahn said, "Another female senior, as if it were an episode, said, 'I've never had that happen, but Ahn Sun-young was like this, so we had to act this way.'"

At that time, Lee was sitting in the very front row. According to Ahn's explanation, Lee stepped up immediately upon hearing that story.

Lee reportedly said, "I have never thought that Sun-young was arrogant. She greets people very well," and then shot back at the senior in question, "You probably just didn't accept her greeting properly."

Recalling this moment, Ahn said, "I was so grateful that my eyes welled up with tears because she was so wonderful and I was so thankful."

In particular, Lee did not call Ahn aside later to say "Don't do that" or to take credit for her actions. Ahn explained, "She never once mentioned such things privately. She defended me as if it were nothing."

What made the relationship between the two even more special was another incident that occurred later.

At the time, Ahn, who was handling as many as 12 schedules a day, found it difficult to coordinate all the schedules at the filming site because she was a rookie, and sometimes she would leave the site after finishing her assigned filming first.

When this happened, Lee called Ahn aside in the waiting room.

Ahn recalled that Lee scolded her loudly at the time, saying, "Come here. Are you the only one who is busy? Even if the manager sets the schedule like that, you should tell them you can't take it like that. What does that make everyone else here?"

Ahn eventually burst into tears on the spot.

However, looking back after time has passed, Lee's reprimand had another intention. It was Lee who first took public responsibility so that Ahn, as a junior, would not become a target of dislike among the other cast members.

Ahn explained, "Because I was afraid others would talk behind my back, as her direct senior, she intentionally spoke up in front of them and made me cry, so that no one else could say anything to me until the sitcom ended."

She added, "She stepped forward and acted as a scapegoat for me."

In the end, the behavior that seemed like Lee was scolding her was actually a kind of shield that prevented other seniors' criticisms from being directed at her. Although it felt like a harsh reprimand in the moment, there was a calculated consideration within it to protect the rookie.

Ironically, in this process, the rumors surrounding Lee actually grew even larger. Ahn revealed, "I am sorry again, but things like 'The strong woman, making a female junior cry again' appeared in tabloids.""

While the truth was a story of a senior protecting a junior, the outside world consumed it as an incident where Lee pressured a junior into tears. This anecdote highlights how the public image of a "strong senior" in the industry may not always align with the reality of their relationships. In the rigid hierarchy of the broadcasting industry at the time, even an act of protection could lead to misunderstand's. Ahn expressed her gratitude for Lee's way of leadership—stepping forward to take the brunt of the criticism rather than simply offering empty praise.