By Honorary Reporter Konstantina Koutsoupia from Greece

Illustration = Konstantina Koutsoupia

Exactly a year ago, I received a long-awaited message in my inbox: "Welcome to our family of Honorary Reporters!"

I've been a cultural writer for the Korean Embassy in Greece over the past two years and a fan of Korean culture for a decade. But getting an international opportunity to channel my love for all things Korean and share it with the world got my heart skipping a beat.

What is an Honorary Reporter?
This is a program run by the Korean Culture and Information Service through Korea.net under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Recruiting is held once a year for applicants worldwide who are passionate about Korean culture and wish to spread their love for it.

Honorary Reporters create original content on Korea through written articles, illustrations, photography or videos. Articles are posted on the Talk Talk Korea section of Korea.net, and the main site of Korea.net features the best of them. Small honorariums and gifts are also granted for exemplary works.

Through their own Facebook group as well as pages on other social media and apps, Honorary Reporters exchange ideas, provide support, form collaborations and remain updated by the hardworking administrator on news, events and assistance.

My first year as an Honorary Reporter

I wrote articles on the versatile and colorful Korean culture and raised awareness of it.

Because of the pandemic, I struggled to access outside material to support my articles and had to postpone interviews and stories on outdoor destinations and activities. But I did my best, and one of the highlights of my first year as an Honorary Reporter was covering last year's amazing Seoul International Writers Festival. The event was held online for the first time, reaching a global audience.

Being an Honorary Reporter isn't only about creating Korea-related content but also being part of a global family and interacting with many highly creative people abroad who love Korea. So if you're a Korean culture aficionado with a knack for writing and creating content, I highly recommend this experience.

Korea has enriched my life in so many ways, so I'm honored to give something back. The pandemic has kept people apart but there are always opportunities like this one through which Korea lovers can celebrate creativity, Korean culture and solidarity. Everything is better when shared.

Here's hoping for another year of prolific (and hopefully pandemic-free) creativity and sharing of stories expressing our love for Korea.

enny0611@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.