Producer Yoo Go-un, known for creating beloved children's television programs at Daekyo Children's TV, died early October 3, 2025, at age 45 after a three-year battle with stage 3 ovarian cancer.
Yoo was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in April 2022, but the diagnosis came after months of delayed medical attention due to her demanding work schedule. In November 2021, her health checkup revealed tumor marker levels three times higher than normal, but she was managing two television programs simultaneously at the time.
Despite informing her company about the abnormal results, her workload remained unchanged. By April 2022, her tumor marker levels had soared from 127 to 1,171, leading to her cancer diagnosis.
The veteran producer began her broadcasting career as a part-time stage director for the EBS children's program "Fart Captain Ppoongppoongi." She joined Daekyo Children's TV in 2005 and spent 16 years creating educational content for young viewers. Her notable programs included "Mystery Times," "Kiwi," and "Classics in the Art Room." The "Kiwi" program alone earned approximately ten awards, including recognition at the 2019 Cable TV Broadcasting Awards.
Throughout her career at the small cable station, Yoo secured 1.6 billion won in government grants for programs she planned and produced. Despite having three children and barely being able to take parental leave due to heavy workloads, she remained dedicated to her profession because she loved creating content that brought joy to children.
During a company restructuring last year, Yoo was encouraged to resign as her cancer returned. She left the company in July 2024, sending a farewell message to colleagues asking them to remember her dedication. After leaving, she filed a workers' compensation claim with the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, citing overwork as the cause of her cancer. She calculated that between her health checkup and cancer diagnosis, she worked 600 hours of overtime over 25 weeks.
The compensation claim was denied in April 2025, with authorities citing insufficient scientific evidence linking long working hours to ovarian cancer. Yoo had been preparing an administrative lawsuit from her hospice bed, hoping to establish a precedent for better working conditions for other producers.
Her funeral was held at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital Funeral Hall, with the burial taking place at Seoul Memorial Park on October 5. Before her death, Yoo expressed hope that her case would improve working conditions for other broadcasting professionals, stating she had been "a happy person" who got to fight for what she loved.
