Hello,

My name is Choi Yeon-seo, and I worked as a youth researcher for VANK during the first half of 2024. As my work period, which began in March, now approaches its end in August, I wanted to look back and summarize my six-month experience.

I was introduced to VANK through the Korean Cultural Ambassadors program. During a six-month break from school, I decided to apply for the VANK Youth Researcher role, which allowed me to engage in meaningful projects.

Here’s a summary of my work:

1. Petitions (March 11-19): My initial task was to draft petitions on topics of interest for platforms such as Ullim and Bridge Asia. I wrote a total of seven petitions, which helped identify my interests and launch relevant projects.
2. World Recycling Day Card News (March 18): To highlight World Recycling Day, I created a social media post about hand warmers’ potential for recycling, which was exciting and memorable as my first official content.
3. Elementary School Ceremony in Incheon (March 20): I shared stories at a ceremony for a children’s cyber diplomacy program at Incheon Bakmun Elementary School. The experience was fulfilling and fun, and my talk even made it to social media!
4. VANK Attention Project (March 24-August 29): I initiated an SNS page, “VANK Attention,” to share petitions, allowing more visibility for various issues. Five team members posted updates every Tuesday and Thursday, which brought a sense of pride and community to our efforts.
5. King Sejong Day Project (April 1-May 23): Partnering with a fellow researcher, I launched a campaign to raise awareness about King Sejong’s birthdate on May 15, which is also Teacher’s Day. This project included collaborations with the King Sejong Memorial Society, adding significant learning value.
6. VANK’s Records: Dokdo Edition (April 2-July 15): I documented VANK’s Dokdo-related activities over the past 20 years, gathering and organizing resources from blogs, social media, and articles. It was challenging yet rewarding.
7. Pure Korean Language Project (May 17-June 4): In collaboration with a researcher, I created a project that incorporated unique design elements like animated posters and subway-related visuals. The project received positive responses from the public and transportation authorities.
8. King Sejong Metaverse Planning (June 10-26): As I continued projects about King Sejong, I helped develop a metaverse exhibit plan to honor him, crafting a detailed proposal and collaborating closely with a teammate.
9. World Hanbok Day Website (June 24-August 8): I built a website to celebrate World Hanbok Day, learning about the global Hanbok community. This project taught me about website design challenges and the responsibility that comes with representing VANK.
10. High School Lecture (July 8): At Misa High School, I delivered a 30-minute lecture introducing VANK’s activities, tailored for high school students. The experience was heartwarming and reminded me of the importance of relatable communication.
11. Use Our Heritage Correctly Project (July 18-August 26): I worked on a project to highlight accurate translations of Korean cultural terms. This project, in collaboration with another researcher, involved poster design and reel creation, helping educate about preserving heritage.

Through these projects, I grew both professionally and personally. Thank you to everyone who supported my journey as a VANK youth researcher!