As the untact society — a society that pursues minimal contact among people — is developing, more young adults have started to turn their interest to Electronic Sports (E-sports) leagues. Indeed, as online games are increasingly taking up a significant portion of time among young adults, the interest in E-sports leagues is growing as well. There is a wide variety of game leagues in South Korea, the leagues of StarCraft, League of Legends (LOL), and KartRider being the most famous. Currently, E-sports announcer Choe Sieun (’14, English Language and Literature) is broadcasting the StarCraft and KartRider leagues. The Granite Tower (GT) interviewed Choe to discuss her life as an announcer and her advice to KU students.

About Choe Sieun

Choe Sieun is an announcer focusing on sports and E-sports events. She made her debut as a reporter of several sports teams, including the baseball team Doosan Bears and the volleyball team Seoul Woori Card Wibee. In 2018, she started her career as an E-sports announcer when she took the role of the master of ceremonies (MC) in the Weekly League of Legend Champions Korea (LCK) broadcasted on the Ongamenet (OGN) channel. From then on, she has mainly broadcasted StarCraft and KartRider leagues as a stadium announcer. Along with her E-sports announcer career, she also recently created an individual internet broadcast platform to communicate with her fans.

GT: What was the most significant experience that led you to become an announcer?

Choe: I believe entering Korea University (KU) was the most significant experience that impacted my life so far. KU was the place where I could experience a variety of activities that positively influenced me. In particular, the first momentum that motivated me to become an announcer was meeting the student ambassadors of Yeoul during the freshmen orientation. Yeoul, a student ambassador group of KU, introduced the campus in front of thousands of freshmen, and I was soon eager to become a student ambassador as well. Thus, in the fall semester of my freshman year, I applied to Yeoul and was able to learn the ability to talk and communicate with a large audience.

The biggest event that changed my life happened when I was a sophomore. While working as a student ambassador, I had a chance to grab the microphone as a stadium announcer during a game in the college basketball league. I was asked to be an announcer of the game because the announcer who was initially in charge had another conflicting schedule, but the role could not be left empty. At that time, I felt the courage to take the position because I had experienced speaking in front of large audiences while working as a student ambassador in Yeoul.

Ever since the day I rushed up to Hwajeong Tiger Dome for the game, my life has completely changed. I became fascinated by the heat created by the players and the audience. I enjoyed being a part of the game, which helped me to boost my passion to continuously work as a student stadium announcer—eventually motivating me to become an actual sports announcer.

GT: When working as an announcer, when do you feel a sense of achievement?

Choe: I want to use the metaphor that my role as an announcer is similar to a prism. People who create television programs, including the production crew and the cast members, are the lights, shining brightly in their own way. I think I convert those lights to a rainbow by playing the role of a prism between audiences and the broadcasting crew. I am proud that I deliver the producers’ intentions well, sometimes by mixing my own colors and bringing out greater enjoyment. Besides, the E-sports market is currently growing fast and has a greater potential for development. Being in such a moment, I feel a greater sense of accomplishment, as I believe that I am contributing to its development through my role as an announcer.

GT: Were there any moments when you felt stressed? How did you overcome them?

Choe: To be honest, I have endless worries about my uncertain future, mainly because I recently became a freelancer. It is hard to concentrate on working whenever I miss a sense of belonging. These days, there are also no clear boundaries between the roles of announcers, comedians, and celebrities. Therefore, the competition to prove one’s value is becoming fiercer.

At the same time, I also feel proud of myself as I am continually thinking and putting effort into becoming a better announcer. I always practice being as flexible as possible to prepare for any possibilities for unexpected situations during a live broadcast. By practicing my announcing skills numerous times, I was able to overcome several unpredicted moments and become a better announcer.

GT: Do you have any advice you would like to deliver to KU students who want to become announcers?

Choe: I believe many university students ask whether school activities affect career choices. In my case, I would 100 percent agree. During my time at KU, I experienced unique events through various school activities and recognized my strength through those events. I think that various school activities, including club activities, help us to find our jewel hidden even in fields unrelated to our major.

Likewise, I think it is essential to have as many experiences as possible while attending university, as it is the period when various possibilities are open to students. However, it is crucial not to focus solely on activities related to the goal of becoming an announcer. Find your own light through different activities. In my case, I found my *light* thanks to the people I met in several clubs. Such relationships helped me to build my inner self, motivating me to move forward towards my dream.

I want to emphasize that the broadcasting industry has a self-objectifying environment. Therefore, it is important to dream freely and try anything while you are a student, as possibilities are endless. KU is the place where you can dream and challenge yourself for your ultimate goal. I hope you can explore yourselves at KU, and when you graduate, fly towards your goal with confidence.