By Honorary Reporter Tran Huyen Phuong from Vietnam
Photos = Tran Huyen Phuong

The King Sejong Institute (KSI) Foundation in Seoul hosts annual Korean speech and writing contests to celebrate Hangeul Day (Oct. 9), offering students at KSI branches worldwide the chance to study in Korea.

This year, 10 finalists on Oct. 7 competed in the KSI Korean Speaking Contest at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel and Serviced Residences, with Amandeep Singh Oberoi from India emerging as the winner.

The following are excerpts from an Oct. 18-19 email interview with Oberoi. 

Amandeep Singh Oberoi from India on Oct. 7 competes in the final round of the KSI Korean Speaking Contest in Seoul. 

Briefly introduce yourself.

I started learning Korean in 2017 at the Korean Cultural Centre in New Delhi. After studying for a year, I aspired to become a Korean-language tour guide, practicing daily to explain India's history and culture to Korean guests. 

The COVID-19 pandemic halted tourism, leading me to shift to interpretation. I've since worked as an interpreter for Korean and American companies as well as for MBC, interpreting for actors like Ha Ji-won and Ahn Jae-hong. Last year, I worked at the BGMI India-Korea Invitational, a major esports tournament. 

How did you grow interested in Korean?
My interest began in high school when someone asked about my plans after graduation. I was at a loss for words, and that person suggested learning Korean given the high demand for foreign languages. After graduating, I discovered KSI and enrolled to learn Korean while supporting my family financially.

Describe your journey through the competition.
I received the final competition topic the day before I flew to Korea. With limited time, I started by drafting the script and memorizing it. My tight schedule made me practice continuously while eating, staying at the airport, riding the plane and being in Korea after arrival. I wrote the script multiple times and read each sentence aloud. Once I memorized it, I focused on intonation and pronunciation, practicing extensively in front of a mirror. With a five-minute time limit for my speech, I also made sure to manage my time wisely.

What did you say in your winning speech?
I focused on the topic and spoke only about that. The final topic was "Our King Sejong Institute and my way of studying Korean." I began by greeting everyone and congratulating my fellow students. I called KSI "our KSI" and shared my learning methods, particularly practicing in front of a mirror, something that one judge noted as distinctive. Throughout my speech, I spoke with confidence and made eye contact with the audience to engage everyone rather than focus in just one direction.

How did you feel when you were announced as the winner?
I got very emotional and felt honored to represent my country. I felt like I was dreaming but it was real. After my name was announced and photos were taken, they asked me to come down, but I was so overwhelmed and had so much to say that I requested the mic. I mentioned a Korean song in my speech that I wanted to sing. I decided to perform it to celebrate my win.

Amandeep Singh Oberoi on Oct. 7 receives the grand prize at the KSI Korean Speaking Contest in Seoul.

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.