Former KBS announcer and broadcaster Lee Hye-sung has addressed a recent controversy in her own words, sharing a long emotional post on her book channel on October 25.
The post appeared on her channel, “Lee Hye-sung’s 1% Book Club,” where she communicates with subscribers through reading content. Opening by noting that only nine Sundays remained in 2026, Lee wrote that an unimaginable event had recently disrupted her peaceful daily life. She said that when she asked her subscribers for help, their encouragement and support warmed her like family, and she expressed her hope that her channel would remain a space that shares that warmth even as the world grows harsher.
Lee closed the post by saying that her subscribers’ support, along with Helen Keller’s book “Three Days to See,” had been a great source of strength during a difficult time. Readers responded with messages of their own, writing that they had worried about losing the channel, that they would always support her, and that they were grateful for the books she introduces.
The post follows a controversy that began with a video posted to her channel on October 20. In the video, Lee reviewed American political philosopher Michael Sandel’s book “Justice: What’s the Right Thing to Do?” and raised the question of how far descendants should bear responsibility for the wrongs of their ancestors. Some viewers connected the topic to actor Ha Young, whose great-grandfather’s affiliation with a pro-Japanese group during the Japanese colonial period had recently drawn public attention, and interpreted Lee’s remarks as revealing a stance on the debate surrounding Ha Young.
Lee has pushed back against that reading. In a pinned comment on her channel, she clarified that she had not made a statement of conviction, and said her position in the video was that historical issues and the individuals living today cannot be separated. She also said she was upset that comments had distorted her words as though she had defended pro-Japanese collaborators, a characterization she rejected.
The episode has drawn attention in part because of Lee’s own background. A graduate of Seoul National University’s business school, she worked as a KBS announcer before moving into broadcasting and her personal channel, where book reviews and reading content form the core of her work with subscribers.
Lee has framed books and her readers’ support as the anchor that carried her through the difficult stretch.
