Korea.net has 3,432 Honorary Reporters from 105 countries who share news and stories on Korea in nine languages. They send Korea-related news from their neighborhood to Korea.net and share articles posted on our site through on their social media. The following are last week's five most-read stories from these reporters.
The Spanish-language article “Introducing six members of Korean archery team at 2020 Tokyo Olympics” by Honorary Reporter Ena Sofia Azcona Castillo from Mexico was the most read story by an Honorary Reporter in the third week of this month. (Screen capture from Spanish-language section of Korea.net)
By Kim Eunhee and Yoon Hee Young
A Spanish-language article written by Honorary Reporter Ena Sofia Azcona Castillo from Mexico was the most read Honorary Reporter article on Korea.net in the third week of this month.
The others in the top five were one each in Arabic, Japanese, French and Russian, with stories from the five languages seeing even popularity.
Among Korea.net's 3,432 Honorary Reporters, the number of those writing in Japanese (60) and French (74) is relatively smaller. So though writers in these languages find it harder to make the top five, an article in Japanese was third last week and another in French finished fourth.
Last week’s most read article by an Honorary Reporter was in Spanish and explained the history of Korean archery at international sporting events, introducing the six members of this year's Olympic team. The writer said, "Korea's Olympic history in archery has been extraordinary," adding, "Korea will claim its ninth consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women's archery team event that began in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics."
The prediction came true as the Korean women claimed the team gold in Tokyo. Korea has gained global acclaim for winning the event in every Olympics since its debut in Seoul in 1988.
■ Nongdari Bridge: a place to visit when the pandemic ends (Alaa Atif from Egypt)
Second place went to an Arabic-language article on Nongdari Bridge, one of the oldest bridges in East Asia and located in Jincheon-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province. The county's official website said the bridge is believed to have been built in the early Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), which means it is 1,000 years old. It was built under a method in which stone roots were accumulated to interlock with one another without supplementary lime material.
The website said this unique structure has been firmly preserved even in heavy rain, adding that the specially selected deck stones show beautiful patterns. The writer said she could not imagine a stone bridge without concrete that could endure a thousand years of varying water levels and weathering.
Nongdari Bridge is at Segeumcheon Stream in front of Gulti Village in Munbaek-myeon Township of Jincheon-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province. (Kim Young-joo)
■ BTS exhibition 'Best' opens in Japan (Yukiko Hanano from Japan)
No. 3 went to a Japanese-language article on an exhibition marking the release of the album "BTS, The Best" in Yokohama, Japan. This was the first time for the K-pop sensation to open an exhibition since "24/7=Serendipity" in 2018. The writer said the event showed the stage where the band's music video was filmed and that visitors could take photos of it. She added that she hopes to see the exhibition with the group's global fan community Army after the pandemic ends.
■ Korean films at 74th Cannes Film Festival (Pauline Maria from France)
A French-language article on Korean films invited to the 74th Cannes Film Festival was fourth. The story described "Emergency Declaration" by director Han Jae-rim that was invited to the Out of Competition category and "Cicada" directed by Yoon Dae-woen that competed in the Cinefoundation category. The writer said Korean cinema continued to show its presence this year after director Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" in 2019 won the top Cannes honor Palme d'Or.
■ What you need when learning Korean fan dance (Khachatryan Karina from Russia)
A Russian-language article on buchaechum (traditional fan dance) was fifth. The writer gave information on YouTube channels to learn traditional Korean dance and preparing for them. As a student of the dance in Russia, she said that to enter the fascinating world of traditional Korean dance, fans and comfortable shoes are all that is needed.
Hansam,or long-sleeve extensions, (upper-left corner) and dancing shoes are all that is needed to do the buchaechum. (Khachatryan Karina)
enny0611@korea.kr
