This summer, I received the opportunity to intern with the International Sales and Distribution team at CJ E&M, South Korea’s top entertainment and media company. Growing up, I have always had an interest in the Korean media industry, watching Korean films and TV programs and following Korean music. My concentrated focus in the film industry developed throughout high school and the first couple years of college. This led me to take screenwriting and film studies courses so I could learn within the classroom, but I never had the chance to fully experience the industry until this summer.
During my internship, I was primarily responsible for developing international marketing campaigns for recently released or soon-to-be released CJ films. This involved working on films’ promotional posters, trailers, and press kits. Throughout the seven weeks, I was able to experience a full international marketing cycle that would typically occur for a film. In particular, this summer was quite busy with the release of several CJ films, most notably The Battleship Island (or Gunhamdo). Apart from the marketing responsibilities, I was also able to read preliminary scripts and see advance screenings of Korean, Vietnamese, and Turkish CJ films.
The work environment was extremely fast-paced, and everyone in the office demonstrated an intense level of dedication and commitment to his or her designated responsibilities. Still, the team was very warm and welcoming with several team lunches and gatherings throughout the course of the internship. Because CJ E&M maintains a very strong presence in the entertainment and media industry in not only Korea, but also Asia as a whole, I was able to experience varying sectors, including the broadcasting and music divisions.
Apart from work, I was able to visit family and reconnect with high school friends. Not surprisingly, I ate a lot of Korean food, probably enough to fill me for a year. Overall, it was a truly wonderful experience, and I’m excited to keep in contact with the friends and mentors I met during my time at CJ.