[OSEN=Reporter Park So-young] Choi Hwa-jeong has stepped down from her position as the DJ of SBS Power FM’s ‘Choi Hwa-jeong’s Power Time (hereafter Choi Pata),’ which she has hosted for 27 years and 6 months. She concluded the broadcast with tears amid the support and applause of many listeners.
In the opening of the pre-recorded broadcast of ‘Choi Pata’ on the 2nd, Choi Hwa-jeong said, “Wondering what a good parting is these days, getting more serious about it,” and added, “But isn’t it enough at this point? Can we just smile without any lingering feelings and bid farewell? Supporting each other’s future, anticipating the next meeting with words of ‘See you again’?”
She continued, “Parting is always regretful and full of remorse, but if the conclusion is good, wouldn’t it remain with a warm and tender heart?” She choked up and moved the listeners by saying, “Today, my heart is getting warmer thanks to the love and support from all of you. I will start the final broadcast.”
Choi Hwa-jeong led ‘Choi Pata’ for a whopping 27 years and 6 months. However, she suddenly stepped down from the DJ seat recently. Her last live broadcast took place on the 31st of last month, and the pre-recorded ‘Choi Pata’ aired over the weekend on the 1st and 2nd.
Choi Hwa-jeong said, “Today is the last day I will hear my own voice on ‘Choi Pata.’ I feel sorry, disappointed, and filled with many emotions, but I am overwhelmed by the love you have shown me. I was able to be here for 27 years and 6 months because all of you were with me. I sincerely thank you. I will take all these happy memories with me.”
The listeners stayed with Choi Hwa-jeong until the end. She expressed her gratitude to the listeners and production staff, saying, “I am personally grateful and proud that ‘Choi Pata’ was part of my daily life. I will never forget the hard work of our writers. We mixed strict scripts with strict ad-libs. ‘Choi Pata’ could not exist without opening remarks or precious remarks. If I were a man, I would want to hug and kiss you all.”
Following this, a listener’s story about the heavy responsibility of being a DJ and the advice to enjoy the second act of life happily led Choi Hwa-jeong to shed tears as she felt her mother would have praised her for her final broadcast, reminiscing about her mother always shining when she hosted the radio show and encouraging her not to give up on radio.
Throughout the broadcast, Choi Hwa-jeong repeatedly expressed her gratitude to the listeners, saying, “It has been a great honor for me to have had ‘Choi Pata’ in my daily life,” and then she invited Kim Young-chul as a guest to share old stories before saying, “Call me as a special guest or a corner keeper.”
Kim Young-chul emotional read a letter, “Hwa-jeong, if we remove radio from our lives, it’s unimaginable for both of us. I still cry when I think about the words you said to me when we decided to start ‘Cheol-FM,’ ‘You’ll do well, don’t do it like everyone else.’ I learned a lot while being a guest on ‘Choi Pata’ from my radio mentor Hwa-jeong noona. I became a DJ like noona, not as refined but a decent one. Now, I eat, sleep late, and live a second act of life. How well will I do? I look forward to it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Love you. Your only radio disciple, Young-chul.”
Choi Hwa-jeong also expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you so much. I’m so grateful. If it were just 4 more months, it would have been the 28th anniversary. SBS was planning to celebrate it, too. I thought it was a good time to stop. Whatever I do, I can’t forget the love you showed me. I will try to live a new life as Young-chul suggested. I look forward to having brunch on weekdays, exercising, and taking a walk. Today is truly the last day of ‘Choi Pata’. Thank you so much for loving me consistently for 27 years. I will not forget the feelings you sent me and will cherish them. That was Choi Hwa-jeong until now. I will live well. I love you all so much,” she tearfully bid farewell.
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