My Summer Interning at The Korea Herald through a KI Internship Grant-Summer 2011
Interning at The Korea Herald opened my eyes to a new field of opportunities. Although I was originally interested in digital/film/video media as opposed to journalism, my summer at the Korea Herald helped me become more interested in and appreciative of what I used to renounce as mundane daily news. The eight weeks I spent at my internship introduced me to the intensity of journalism and broadened my appreciation of Korean culture to include traditional Korean and western-infused Korean culture.
Because I was a part of The Korea Herald’s Culture desk, I focused on traditional and modern Korean culture, entertainment news, sports news, and expatriate living in South Korea. I chose this specific section of the newspaper because I wanted to gain a stronger understanding of Korean culture while gaining work experience. As one of the few reporter interns at The Korea Herald, I was encouraged to explore various cultural attractions in Seoul during work hours, and occasionally, I was given the opportunity to travel to other parts of Korea as well.
The articles I wrote were often inspired from the people I met during my excursions throughout Korea, and such people include prominent figures like the Ambassador of Italy to South Korea and Artist Omar Galliano to Korean American students volunteering in South Korea to expatriates living in South Korea. From these interactions, I not only improved my interviewing and reporting skills, I also gained new, different perspectives of South Korea and more knowledge on different aspects of Korean culture.
There were many days where I did not have a story lead, and during those days, I realized how difficult journalism could be. Because it is a daily newspaper, it is crucial for all reporters to continuously write new articles, but sometimes I found it very difficult to think of new ideas. Often, I had to stay at work past six o’clock, which was the end of my scheduled workday, to think of new ideas. However, I was never the only person to stay late at work—most of my co-workers did. Such dedication is an integral part of Korean work culture, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to experience it first hand. These moments at my internship helped foster a greater appreciation of journalism and the Korean work ethic.
Although I do not plan to pursue a career in journalism, the skills and experiences I gained while working at The Korea Herald will definitely be an asset I will use in the future. Because of my experiences in Korea this summer, I gained an abundance of knowledge about various aspects of Korean culture. In addition, I now have a greater appreciation of journalism and more respect for those who dedicate their lives to this career. While I admit that seeing my articles in print were the most prideful moments I had at The Korea Herald, the interactions I made with my co-workers helped made this internship unforgettable.
Thank you Korea Institute for giving me the opportunity to work in a country that I have been interested in for quite a while. This summer has been remarkable, and I will cherish all the memories and friendships I have made.