Janin Alfonso, '15-Intern at CJ Entertainment & Media-Summer 2013

This summer I interned at CJ Entertainment in South Korea. Before my internship I had no knowledge of the entertainment or film business, and a very unclear vision of what I would do after college.  My internship therefore proved not only exciting and informative, but also a source of future direction and mentorship. Furthermore, I was able to put two years of Korean language to use in a setting where anyone could give me constructive feedback and help my progress toward fluency along.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my internship was a unique access to the creative and business sides of film. The first week of my internship I was able to view a film, ask the director questions about his project, and later interact informally with him over dinner with my fellow interns. This was an unparalleled opportunity to learn from a critically acclaimed film festival prize winner. 

Furthermore, over the course of my internship I had many similar experiences.

For instance, I witnessed several press conferences through which I learned how  promotional materials are used to increase credibility of film and evoke curiosity. The theatrical trailers were especially enlightening, as I viewed how the film was framed differently according to audience—for instance, the difference between a trailer for the general public and a trailer for possible buyers.

Furthermore, I was able to directly see the impact of my efforts on international distribution of Korean films. Specifically, I witnessed how a translator works with post-production editors to subtitle a film. I was impressed by the interpretive work that goes into the subtitling process, and therefore the dual cultural sensitivity required to accurately present a film to foreign audiences.

Perhaps the most meaningful part of my work was being able to follow a major international venture between Korea and Hollywood from its late post-production stages to its premiere. Not to mention, I was able to meet its director Bong Joon Ho- my favorite Korean director. Behind the scenes, I took part in creative choices for the film poster, and I engaged in conversations with marketing executives about how the film could fare in America. .Through this film I learned to appreciate the uncompromising nature of true visionaries. Furthermore, I was able to partake in the practical side of film production, and monitor the reaction to this blockbuster by critics and audience members to better predict international reception.

Additionally, as a CJ Entertainment Intern I completed several individual projects.

I was able to identify ways of marketing Korean film in the US and Latin America. I researched Korean-American population demographics and identified areas of most potential revenue according to records of successful releases.  I also identified top grossing Korean films in the US and noted their marketable qualities. The second part of my project included research into the Latin American market to find if fans of Hallyu could become potential Korean film audiences. I complied a contact list of a dozen distributors in Latin America. Furthermore, I researched taste preferences of Latin American audiences by scouring fan clubs, blogs and discussion forums written in Spanish.

Overall, I am extremely grateful for the hospitality and patience all team members demonstrated, and for the many wonderful opportunities that familiarized me with the Korean film industry. This unique internship allowed me to become more informed about Korean business, language and culture, and allowed me to consider a future career in entertainment in the Unites States and Korea.