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 neighborhoods to Korea.net and share articles posted on our site through their social media accounts. The following are last week's ten most-read stories from these reporters.
The Arabic-language article "Story of Taekwondo gaining popularity in Egypt" by Honorary Reporters Salwa and Esraa Elzeny from Egypt was the most-read story by an Honorary Reporter in the fourth week of last month. (Screen capture from Arabic-language section of Korea.net)
By Kim Eunhee and Yoon Hee Young
Two Arabic-language articles finished first and second on the list of the most-read Honorary Reporter stories in the fourth week of August.
No. 1 was an article on the popularity of taekwondo in Egypt by the twin sisters Salwa and Esraa Elzeny from Egypt. Their country earned two bronze medals in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Hedaya Malak Wahba got hers in the women's 67-kg division and Seif Eissa his in the men's 80-kg division.
The second most-popular story was also in Arabic about this year's Contest of World Convention of Korean Language by Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt, and third went to a French-language interview with a French film director who has made documentaries on Korean films.
Rounding out the top five were an article in Spanish and one in English. Sixth to 10th on the list comprised three stories in English, one in Spanish and one in Arabic.
■ Story of Taekwondo gaining popularity in Egypt (Salwa and Esraa Elzeny from Egypt in Arabic)
This story centered on taekwondo in Egypt and the country's accomplishments in the event at international competitions including the Olympics. After the Egyptian Taekwondo Federation was founded in 1978, the martial art became one of the most popular sports in the country.
The late Mohamed Ahmed El-Fouly, the former president of the African Taekwondo Federation who died last year at age 72, greatly contributed to the spread of the sport in Egypt. He improved the level and status of taekwondo in Africa as the continent's federation attracted the most member states of any association of its kind in the world.
The Korean government on Aug. 17 posthumously honored El-Fouly with the Cheongnyong Medal, Korea's highest Order of Sports Merit, for his efforts and role in the spread and development of taekwondo in Egypt and Africa. The writer added that Korean Ambassador to Egypt Hong Jin-wook personally delivered the medal to El-Fouly's family.
■ 2021 Contest of World Convention of Korean Language (Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt in Arabic)
This Korean-language contest was jointly hosted by the Federation of Korean Language and Cultural Center, King Sejong Institute, the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, National Institute of Korean Language and National Hangeul Museum. The main topic of this piece was "aspects of the Korean language to enjoy," and submissions in the sections "creative song (rap in Korean) video" and "beautiful writing (calligraphy)" are being accepted through Sept. 9.
The writer said, "The contest is for all those who love Korean," adding, "It offers an opportunity to enjoy Korean together."
This interview was with French film director Jesus Castro-Ortega, who produced documentaries on the Korean films "Memories of Murder," "Mother" and "Snowpiercer." Meeting Oscar-winning Korean director Bong Joon-ho while making the documentaries, Castro-Ortega in 2014 set up the production company Grab the Cat and has since produced short films, documentaries and animation about Korea.
The article featured the Frenchman's opinions on the differences in filmmaking in Korea and France, Koreans he met at this year's Cannes Film Festival and his plans for his next film.
"I had the chance to see the director and actors up close at the media preview for (the Korean movie) 'Emergency Declaration' at Cannes," he said. "It was a great opportunity for me to meet and talk to Korean actors such as Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun and Im Si-wan."
French director Jesus Castro-Ortega (right) and actor Lee Byung-hun pose for a photo at this year's Cannes Film Festival. (Jesus Castro-Ortega)
■ Books and films tell history of 'comfort women' (Araceli Gonzalez from Argentina in Spanish)
The Spanish-language article "Books and films tell history of 'comfort women'" by Araceli Gonzalez from Argentina was fourth. With August having both International Memorial Day for Comfort Women and National Liberation Day of Korea, she introduced two books and two movies on the Korean victims of sexual slavery by the Japanese military: the historical novels "White Chrysanthemum" and "Pachinko" and the movies "Spirits' Homecoming" and "Herstory."
"The works spotlighting the history of 'comfort women' deserve high appreciation," Gonzalez said. "To bring peace of mind to the victims, we must recognize the inhumane acts committed against Koreans by the Japanese military and keep raising our voices about them."
"Spirits' Homecoming" is a historical movie on the lives of Korean victims of sexual slavery by the Japanese military. (JO Entertainment)
■ Learning Korean online in Italy via King Sejong Institute (Nicola Morello from Italy in English)
No. 5 was an English-language article on the Rome, Italy, branch of King Sejong Institute switching instruction in Korean last year to online classes due to COVID-19. The writer interviewed the branch's students and teacher Kim Charm-yee on the pros and cons of online classes.
Kim said most of her students adapted to online classes and tried to maximize the advantages of virtual learning.
Sixth to 10th on the list are below.
6th: Indian patriot describes fight for nation's independence (Ananya Arya from India in English)
7th: 4 aspiring Indonesian diplomats discuss ties with Korea (Reina Fadlila from Indonesia in English)
8th: Remembering extinction of sea lions on Dokdo Island (Aleksandra Bykova from Russia in English)
10th: Interview with K-pop festival champion Glitch Gang (Radwa Mohamed from Egypt in Arabic)
enny0611@korea.kr
