Dear Reporter Waiting Park

About

Dear Reporter Waiting Park is an internet phenomenon based on a news report about a blizzard that swept across the Korean peninsula on January 4th, 2010. At the center of this snowstorm was Park Dae-ki (박대기), the KBS field journalist reporting from outside while trembling in subzero weather with a pile of snow on his shoulders.

Further feeding the exploitability of this scene was his ironic e-mail address displayed on screen: WAITING@kbs.co.kr. Although it was a clever pun on his name "Dae-Ki" (a homonym for the Korean verb "to stand by" / "to wait"), the satellite broadcast came off as highly entertaining and evoked much sympathy from the viewers at home. By next morning, Park apparently received over 2,000 fan e-mails in his inbox.

Origin

Transcript

Studio Anchorwoman: Seoul Metropolitan Area has been hit with a blizzard today, beginning around 5 a.m. this morning and it still hasn't stopped. We'll go live with our reporter Day-Ki Park, who's out in the storm as we speak. Mr. Park, it looks like the condition hasn't improved much, how are things over there?

Park Dae-ki: Yes--at this moment, it's coming down so heavy in downtown Seoul that it's hard to stand here with my eyes open. (determined silence)"

(Suddenly Cuts Back to Studio)

Sympathetic Response

Photoshopped Images

Video Gallery