By Honorary Reporters Fetty Asihta Kencana Putri from Indonesia and Preeti Rawat from India

These four women are among the eight Best Honorary Reporters for this year named by Korea.net.

Eight of Korea.net's large pool of 4,536 Honorary Reporters appointed by the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) on Oct. 27 were named this year's best. Their passion for Korea and its culture expressed through their content earned each of them a trip to Korea from Nov. 2-10. 

Among the eight are Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt, Monthi Rosselini from Indonesia, Luu Thi Thu Loan (Lauren) from Vietnam and Nathalie Fisz from France.  

An Honorary Reporter since 2020, Ebada has earned this honor for three consecutive years since 2021. Rosselini joined in 2021 and earned a Special Honorary Reporters Award last year in addition to her prize this year. 

Fisz, who joined in 2020, received the Special Honorary Reporter Award last year and Loan  entered the program in 2021.

The following are excerpts of a Oct. 28 email interview with these four winners.

Egyptian reporter Alaa Atef Ebada's fascination with Korean culture began as a child, and now as a medical professional, she has won the Best Honorary Reporter Award for three consecutive years. (Alaa Atef Ebada & Korea.net)

Why did you join Honorary Reporters?
Ebada: I've always been interested in Korean culture and love to express myself through writing. I began following Korea.net in 2014 and learned about the Honorary Reporters program and how fun being an Honorary Reporter is. After initial hesitation, I joined in 2020 and it's been one of the best decisions I've made. 

Rosselini: My fascination with Korean culture began in 2020. A friend recommended the program to me and I joined without hesitation. Over the past three years, I've had an incredible journey in exploring the depths of Korean culture, making global friends who share my interests and going on numerous enriching adventures.

Fisz: My daughter's early fascination with Korea and her frequent trips to the country drew my interest. This was an opportunity to bond with her and discover the profound richness of Korean culture. My love for classic Korean dance and its amazing dancers deepened this connection.

Loan: My profound passion for Korea was kindled through exposure to Korean reality shows, K-pop and movies. My fascination grew and led me to Honorary Reporters, a platform for those eager to share their love for Korea. This was a perfect opportunity for me to play my part in promoting Korean culture.

Honorary Reporter Monthi Rosselini from Indonesia, a two-time award winner in the program, picks her interview with ssireum (traditional wrestling) athlete Choi Won-jun as her best article this year. (Monthi Rosselini & Korea.net)

Which work of yours do you consider your best of the year?

Ebada: Two interviews are quite dear to me. The first was with artist Hwang Ji-hae headlined "Green artist explains 3rd win at UK's Chelsea Flower Show," in which she shared how her health issues influenced her garden. The second was with Egyptian TV personality Ahmed Fayek, who hosts "Korean Logarithm," a TV show dedicated to Korean culture. He discussed his program and historical ties between the two nations.

Rosselini: My best work this year is my interview with ssireum (traditional wrestling) athlete Choi Won-jun headlined "Pro athlete promotes resurgent traditional wrestling style." Ssireum is one of the oldest sports in Korea, and I believe introducing it to more people is important.

Fisz: This year, I've written many articles in collaboration with Racines Coreennes (Korean Roots), a French association of Korean adoptees, because I believe they deserve to be known and appreciated. Additionally, I'm fond of a recent article on a prestigious setting for Korea in Paris, the Museum of the Legion of Honor and Orders of Chivalry, featuring a famous Parisian museum where Korean medals are displayed.

Loan: I enjoy writing about cultural exchange between Korea and Vietnam. Participating in events, experiencing Korean products, learning about Korean culture and exploring the cultural traits common to both countries drew me to this topic. I'm also passionate about interviewing notable people and hearing why they love Korea.

Honorary Reporter Nathalie Fisz from France, a two-time award winner in the program, says she was drawn to Korea because of her daughter's high interest in the country. (Nathalie Fisz & Korea.net)

What was your reaction to being named one of the Best Honorary Reporters this year?
Ebada: I was both happy and honored to learn that my works were recognized as among the best. It was a pleasant surprise to be invited to Korea again this year, especially considering the health issues I faced until July. I keep myself preoccupied with things I love, especially writing articles about Korea.

Rosselini: I was surprised to be chosen and couldn't believe that I would visit Korea this year. It's an incredible honor and I feel immensely happy to receive this award. Knowing that my work received recognition from KOCIS was a source of great pride. I'm grateful to have achieved this award with the support of fellow Honorary Reporters, Indonesian friends and the program's coordinators who guided me throughout this program.

Fisz: It was an incredible and wonderful surprise. I want to share this victory with all Honorary Reporters around the world.

Loan: I was surprised and grateful. Everyone recognized my contributions and efforts over the past year. I'd also like to thank Korea.net's Vietnamese-language writers who are always there to support and guide me throughout the working process. And I'd like to thank my mother for always being by my side.

What will you do during your visit to Korea?
Ebada: I'm excited to meet fellow Honorary Reporters and learn about their cultures. We've interacted over the past four years online only. I'm also looking forward to autumn vibes in Korea since it's my favorite season. Additionally, I want to visit the Korea.net office and meet the staff.

Rosselini: It's my first trip to Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic, so I'm excited and looking forward to it. I love photography and plan to take many beautiful photos while there. But what I look forward to most is meeting Honorary Reporters and enjoying the nine-day tour with them arranged by KOCIS.

Fisz: Meeting the Korea.net staff and other Honorary Reporters would be wonderful. Korea.net is an example of fraternity. If I can see my daughter, who lives in Korea, at some point, this will also be a nice surprise.

Loan: This is my first trip to Korea. I'm happy and mentally ready for the journey. I'll get a better understanding of Korean culture and the people and country after the trip. 

What does being one of the best Honorary Reporters mean to you? 
Ebada: This program is a dream come true. I've always admired reporters and journalists and loved Korea since I was 7. So being an Honorary Reporter is a positive influence in my life that helped me approach these dreams while being a doctor. Through the program, I got to know other people and cultures.

Rosselini: Over the past three years, I've written articles of many types like my personal experience in Korea, cooking Korean food, creating Korean art and crafts, and visiting Korea-related events. This year, however, I challenged myself to do more interviews at major events including participants at the World Scout Jamboree in Korea, the artistic director of Ambiguous Dance Company and Indonesian Ambassador to Korea Gandi Sulistiyanto. Being an Honorary Reporter has given me a lot of wonderful opportunities and developed my writing. 

Fisz: Recognition of my work and passion has helped me. 

Loan: Becoming an Honorary Reporter is a great honor and has taught me so much about Korea. While K-pop and K-dramas left a lasting impression on me, so did Korean cuisine, culture, history and literature. I practice my reporting skills such as taking photos, writing news and interviewing people. I also give each article my best effort as I sincerely wish to create high-quality content.
  

Any concluding message to fellow Honorary Reporters?
Ebada: My fellow Honorary Reporters, our shared passion is a powerful bond. Let's be friends and savor the journey of getting to know Korea. Let's seize the opportunity to exchange our cultures, too.

Rosselini: I wholeheartedly urge Honorary Reporters to explore new horizons and always seek advice and opinions from more experienced members. I've learned a great deal from this community. So my advice is to believe in yourself. 

Nathalie: Hard work is essential, but I'm convinced that regular writing improves our skills and develops our own styles. Stay passionate and curious about Korean events and current affairs and put your heart into your work.

Loan: Let's stay open to and actively seek suggestions from Korea.net's editorial board to enhance the quality of our work. The inclusion of images and videos in an article is crucial as well, so also invest more in these elements. 

msjeon22@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.