Kim Dae-ho Reveals Reasons for Going Freelance

On March 6, a video titled 'The Real Reason Kim Dae-ho Chose Freelancing' was released on the YouTube channel '뉴스안하니' (News Not Doing). In the video, broadcaster Kim Dae-ho received a farewell party from his colleagues at the announcer's department. Director Cha Mi-yeon expressed, "I felt it was a blessing to be able to do something like this. Kim Dae-ho has paved a new path and has accomplished a lot in the announcer's department. I thought it was necessary to mark this moment, even if it may not fit the times, so I suggested a farewell party."

The farewell party took place two weeks after Kim Dae-ho's departure from MBC. He commented, "Initially, I said I wouldn’t do it. It’s been two weeks since I left. On one hand, I felt grateful. We will naturally work together again, but when will we all gather like this again?"

Colleagues Kim Cho-rong and Oh Seung-hoon, who joined the company with Kim Dae-ho through the show '신입사원' (New Employee), shared, "Kim Dae-ho always dreamed of retiring early. Although that dream hasn’t been realized, he has at least left the company. This time, we couldn’t hold him back. In the past, we weren’t equipped for this, but now we’ve received rookie awards and excellence awards, aiming for the grand prize."

At the time of the farewell, Kim Dae-ho had not yet secured an agency. He stated, "I’m currently managing things myself. I’ve put everything on hold until I find an agency." When announcer Lee Jae-eun suggested that he should shoot commercials while he’s not tied to a company to maximize his earnings, Kim Dae-ho replied, "I’m contemplating what would be good to pursue," indicating he is happily considering his options.

He humorously remarked about the excellence award, saying, "The grand prize is poison. I should receive something that fits my capabilities. The excellence award suits me better, especially since I had a home advantage."

Discussing his life as a freelancer, Kim Dae-ho said, "It’s not so much about being comfortable, but it’s not bad. I feel at ease. I do feel a bit anxious when I don’t have a schedule, but I have some plans. It’s different from the feeling of resting on weekends. I don’t have Monday blues anymore. When I have work, I work, and on days without work, I can relax without any thoughts."

He also explained that his decision to go freelance wasn’t primarily about money. "It was more about reducing the debt I had with the company. Living alone and without a family, I realized that if I didn’t make a decision in my 40s, it would be hard to live a different life. Fortunately, the announcer's department provided me with a great opportunity, and I worked hard to create it. Those two significant factors led to my resignation. The decision to go freelance wasn’t difficult, and I don’t feel any regret about leaving the announcer's department."

Kim Dae-ho officially left MBC on March 4 and has signed an exclusive contract with One Hundred. One Hundred is affiliated with the boy group THE BOYZ and includes artists like Taemin, Lee Mujin, VIVIZ (Eunha, SinB, Umji), B.O, Ha Sung-woon, and others under Big Planet Made Entertainment, as well as EXO members Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen under INB100.