Ryu Yi-seo reveals suspected illegal filming and rigid airline culture

Ryu Yi-seo, the wife of Jun Jin and a former flight attendant, revealed a chilling experience from her career when she suspected illegal filming on board an aircraft. While providing service to passengers, she witnessed a man appearing to film her legs and immediately reported the situation to her supervisor. However, it has not been confirmed whether actual footage was ever recovered.

On the 10th, through her YouTube channel 'My Love Ryu Yi-seo,' Ryu met Seong Hae-eun, a former flight attendant who appeared on the TVING show 'Transfer Dating 2,' to share their experiences. Having worked for Asiana Airlines and Korean Air respectively, the two discussed various topics ranging from the recruitment process and airline organizational culture to the hardships they faced in the field.

Recalling the moment during in-flight service, Ryu said, "Something felt strange." Looking down, she noticed a man in a prone position who she felt was filming her legs. Since she was wearing a skirt-style flight attendant uniform while serving passengers, she explained that she immediately informed her manager, saying, "Something is strange. I think he is filming."

Crucially, it has not been confirmed whether the man in question actually engaged in illegal filming. Ryu was conveying her own judgment and suspicion at the time, and in the video, she did not specifically mention whether footage was discovered or if legal action was taken against the passenger. Therefore, rather than concluding this as a definitive case of illegal filming, it should be understood as an experience of sexual objectification and anxiety felt by a flight attendant on the job.

Seong also shared her experience of receiving unwanted attention while working as a flight attendant. She recalled that when she traveled in her uniform near her residence, people would take photos of her in the subway simply because she was a flight attendant. She explained that while airline flight attendants are consumed by the public as symbols of professionalism and kindness, there exists a possibility of being exposed to appearance evaluations, filming, or physical contact unrelated to their work.

The conversation naturally shifted to the hierarchical culture within flight attendant organizations. Ryu revealed that during her time, there was a culture where junior flight attendants would provide a 'morning call' to their seniors while staying abroad. It was a practice where the junior would call the senior, state their affiliation and class, and check if they had woken up; failing to do so required the junior to explain the reason to the senior.

Ryu also explained a culture where junior flight attendants would call senior flight attendants 'Unnie' (older sister) regardless of age or personal closeness. There were even behavioral norms, such as the youngest member pressing the elevator button and waiting for all seniors to board before entering last. She also recalled an atmosphere where juniors were expected to naturally accompany seniors during meals or outings while abroad, and if they did not participate, people around them would wonder why.

It was also mentioned that in the past, there were practices where junior flight attendants went beyond morning calls to even washing the stockings of their seniors. However, both women drew a line, stating that these were stories they heard from seniors rather than experiences they personally underwent. Therefore, there is no basis to interpret this as a general practice in current airline organizational culture.

The discussion continued regarding the management of external images required of flight attendants. Seong shared an anecdote where she left her makeup pouch behind while abroad, but because makeup was a crucial element of her job, she had to hurriedly complete her makeup using concealer and pencils found in her in-flight bag. Ryu also recalled that during trainee days, they had to use highly visible nail polish colors so that nail care could be easily checked, and even after joining the company, it was important to have mascara and colored lip products.

These testimonies serve as examples showing the reality that the flight attendant profession in the past was required to follow highly detailed norms regarding appearance, attitude, speech, and senior-junior relationships, going beyond simple service labor. Of course, since regulations and organizational cultures vary by airline and practices have changed over time, their experiences cannot be generalized to the entire current aviation industry.

Seong also revealed her career transition. She stated that she began her professional life as a childcare teacher at age 23 and began preparing earnestly to become a flight attendant from age 24. After failing the Asiana Airlines recruitment interview in 2017, she passed for Korean Air and worked as a flight attendant for approximately five years.

The reason she left the airline was a struggle with her professional identity. Seong explained that rather than remaining a member of a company, she wanted to do something under her own name, 'Seong Hae-eun.' She later appeared on 'Transfer Dating 2' at the suggestion of a former partner, gaining public recognition by showing her honest emotions and relationship narrative on the program.

Ryu also expanded her broadcasting career following her marriage to Jun Jin. The couple became well-known to the public through the 2020 SBS variety show 'Same Bed, Different Dreams 2: You Are My Destiny,' where they shared their married life and stories about one another.

This conversation is noteworthy because the two women used their own lived experiences to describe the hidden side of the flight attendant profession, which is typically represented by glamorous uniforms and kind service. While they are service workers responsible for passengers' travel for several hours, the cabin is also a workplace where they must endure emotional labor, sexual objectification, and strict organizational norms.

In particular, Ryu's experience of feeling as though she was being filmed highlights how the anxiety of one's body becoming an object of observation can be an immediate issue, regardless of whether the suspicion is proven. It also prompts reflection on the gap between the public view of flight attendants as symbols of service and the principle that they must be respected as individual workers.

Ultimately, their stories reveal the gap between the romanticized public image of flight attendants and the actual working environment. As aviation service professionalism strengthens, addressing unauthorized filming, sexual objectification, and unnecessary hierarchical practices remains a continuous challenge for the industry. It remains to be seen whether the testimonies of these two women will serve as a catalyst to move beyond mere 'exposés of strict culture' and toward respecting the rights and dignity of service workers.