By Honorary Reporter Wendy Palomo from Philippines

Videos and Photos= Korea.net DB

With the recruiting of Korea.net Honorary Reporters for 2020 in full swing, here is a look back at my two years in the position. My extraordinary journey with Korea.net will hopefully encourage others to join our corps.

Videos marking President Moon's 1st and 2nd year in office

On the occasion of President Moon Jae-in's first anniversary in office, Korea.net produced a video highlighting his achievements in his first year.

We didn't know what was going to be the result, and were just told that we might not appear in the final video. Nevertheless, the production team thanked us for our participation and I was naturally glad to see myself in the video when it came out.

The video commemorating his second anniversary in office was done with five Honorary Reporters discussing the diverse aspects of life here in Korea. As one of the five, I described my family life and the security we feel here, especially when it comes to my children walking to school every day. I spoke in my mother tongue Filipino, and the other four spoke in their native languages, too.

Induction ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae 

The 2019 induction ceremony for Honorary Reporters was the biggest of its kind. I know how much preparation our manager and the other Korea.net staff exerted to make the event both successful and memorable, especially for those who came to Seoul specifically for the ceremony. At the venue Cheong Wa Dae, we received a surprise visit by first lady Kim Jung-sook.

Some of us wore our national attire during the ceremony and while touring the grounds of the presidential mansion. I found it interesting to see the various costumes donned by other Honorary Reporters. I made new friends and got reacquainted with others I'd met before. On top of that, we all went home with a limited edition watch bearing the presidential insignia and the signature of President Moon, which was also given to the world's most popular K-pop act, BTS.


Live YouTube episodes

A few Honorary Reporters received the opportunity to have their YouTube videos shown on Korea.net's YouTube channel live. I did four episodes under the theme "Living in Korea with Wendyflor" in which I interviewed foreign residents of Korea on why they came here and how they adjusted to life in a country known for its ppali-ppali (quick, quick) culture. This enlightening and humbling experience had me interacting and talking to foreigners and learning how they assimilated and appreciated the culture. Korea.net has bigger plans for YouTube content this year, so this is a perfect time for creative creators to join the program.

Trip to Busan for ASEAN-ROK summit

In November last year, we made two trips to Busan as Honorary Reporters. The first was a cultural tour to see the beauty of Korea's second-largest city and taste its food. We even had the opportunity to learn about Busan cuisine through a cooking class arranged for us. This wasn't my first time there but I got to see more of the city and truly appreciate what it offers to both locals and foreign tourists.

The second trip made me wish I was a journalist by trade because of the event I attended: the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-ROK (Republic of Korea) Commemorative Summit, the biggest diplomatic event hosted by the Moon administration. As formal members of the media under Korea.net, we got access to the highly secured media room where journalists were gathered getting real-time clips of the events. I even got permission to cover Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's meeting with Korean CEOs. This was definitely an experience I'll remember for a long time.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean