By Hong Kilju

Korea.net's Honorary Reporters this year have promoted Korean culture to the world through their articles, with 4,834 people from 122 countries being members of the program. As of Dec. 26, Korea.net posted 1,325 of their articles.

Honorary Reporters covered a joint air show in Egypt by the Republic of Korea Air Force flight display team Black Eagles and interviewed the production team of "Pachinko," the original Apple TV+ series based on the bestselling book that began airing in March. A story on Hanbini, a convenience store chain in Japan that specializes in Korean products, also drew attention. 

The following are this year's top five articles by Honorary Reporters based on the number of views and story depth. 

■ Black Eagles fly over Cairo (Aug. 29, Salwa Elzeny from Egypt, Arabic)

The Republic of Korea Air Force flight display team Black Eagles on July 31 flies over the famous pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt. (Official website of Black Eagles)

At the Pyramids Air Show 2022 on July 31 in Cairo, Egypt, the Republic of Korea Air Force flight display team Black Eagles and that of Egypt called the Silver Stars held a joint performance. This was the first time for foreign military planes to fly over the pyramids of Giza. The event was geared to boost the friendship between Korea and Egypt. Honorary Reporter Salwa Elzeny, who lives near Giza, said she watched the show from her home balcony, adding, "I felt happy seeing the wonderful cooperation between my country Egypt and the nation of my heart, Korea."

■ 'Pachinko' soundtrack composer, cinematographer discuss hit series (May 4, Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt, Arabic)

This is the cover of the "Pachinko" original soundtrack. (Apple TV+)

The Apple TV+ series "Pachinko," based on Min Jin Lee's bestselling novel, took the world by storm after its premiere in March. Honorary Reporter Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt conducted an audio interview with the drama's production team, mentioning two factors behind the success of "Pachinko." The first was the message of struggle for ethnic identity that resonated with people worldwide suffering from war and deportation. Second was the soundtrack that maximized the drama's immersive experience.

On handling the jumps between time periods, countries and characters and connecting them as well as avoiding an overly melodramatic tone, soundtrack composer Nico Muhly said he employed music using acoustic and electronic instruments instead of that using traditional Korean or Japanese instruments. "Instead of writing individual songs for each character, I created a family tree of songs all stemming from and reflecting the roots of the family matriarch," he added.

Cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister said in an interview, "I believe that 'Pachinko' is a conversation by generations on the identity of being Korean." 

■ Young magician discusses appearance on 'America's Got Talent' (July 27, Alaa Atef Ebada from Egypt, English)

Magician Yu Ho-jin on July 19 makes his second appearance on "America's Got Talent." (NBC)

An interview with magician Yoo Ho-jin, who appeared on the NBC's reality competition program "America's Got Talent" on July 19 was also popular among readers. He shared his motivations for pursuing magic and the reason behind his intent to appear on the American TV show: reach a larger audience beyond Korea. "I practiced 10-15 hours a day to create magic that nobody had shown before," he added.

■ Welcome to the hotspot Hanbini! (June 1, Miho Kurihara from Japan, Japanese) 

This article was on Hanbini, a convenience store chain in Japan for Korean products that is popular among people unable to visit Korea due to COVID-19. Hanbini is a compound word comprising han (Korean) and "bini" from "konvini," an abbreviated Japanese term for  "convenience store." The store is packed with Korean products from groceries to cosmetics. 

Honorary Reporter Miho Kurihara from Japan visited a Hanbini branch to ask about the chain's background, goals and visitors. "Thanks to Hanbini, we are in an era when we can easily enjoy Korean culture at home," she said. "Since we can relieve the stress of being unable to visit Korea, the Korean Wave will continue."

■ Waves of cherry blossoms at Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (Sept. 5, Nguyen Thị Hong Thuy from Vietnam, Vietnamese)

Cherry blossoms abound at the entrance of Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in Busan. (Nguyen Thị Hong Thuy)

Honorary Reporter Nguyen Thị Hong Thuy from Vietnam is a resident of Korea who in April covered the start of the cherry blossom season at Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in Busan. Her pictures of the blossoms covering the temple conveyed Korea's spring vibe to readers abroad. 

"While most temples in Korea are located in the mountains, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is located on Busan's coast, featuring unique architectural styles and beautiful scenery," she said. "There's no better place for enjoying the cherry blossom season than here."