Author: Alexandra Dorogova
Interpreter: Alice Khraban
After her first trip to South Korea, blogger Monica Lee decided that admiration to that country was not her limit. Putting much effort into it, she got the opportunity to live, study and work in one of the most dynamically developing countries in the world. After receiving a scholarship from the Korean government, she has gained immense experience and is now writing about all of it on her blog. Monica shared some of the secrets of public speaking with us and talked about finding her own path to the profession.
©Photo from Monica's personal archive
Were you scared when you first started blogging?
In fact, there was no uncertainty or fear. At first, I was posting in a small group in VKontakte for family and friends. It was obviously not scary to write there at all - everyone was familiar to me. Then such social media as Instagram was introduced to public. I myself never followed any blogs about Korea, but my mom did. Actually, there used to be not so many social media experts specializing in South Korea. Mom convinced me to start blogging on Instagram. Back then I really wanted to achieve quick results and gain followers, so my mother gave me a special birthday present: she paid for me to go to Instagram promotion course. That's how it all started.
Your blog is about South Korea, so you have a lot of material on this topic. What is your favorite post?
I think I have quite a big number of favorite posts. I really my content, especially pictures with a summer vibe. I truly like the videos and photos from Busan. Honestly, it is difficult to choose just one, because I put my heart and soul into all posts.
What topics do you enjoy writing posts on the most?
I used to write such texts as “How to enter a Korean university” or “How to rent an apartment in Korea,” but now I have almost moved away from this format. It was quite a long path. I used to post only once in two weeks some time ago - not because I was tired of writing, but because I wanted to detach myself from the image of a blogger who writes only about Korea. I wanted to start sharing my thoughts with followers more.
You are very sociable and always answer your followers’ questions, but do you have emotional burnout sometimes when you don't want to communicate with anyone?
No, I have never had an emotional burnout, in the sense that I do not want to communicate with anyone. I have two sections in my direct messages on Instagram: "primary" is dedicated to all the people I know personally, or who has been following for a long time and with whom we have already become friends, and "general" is dedicated to all the rest; I usually check the second section several times a day. But when I get tired of DM, I just do not open it.
You had an experience working as an anchor on TV, how did this happen? Did you like being filmed?
It actually happened by accident. Alpago, one of the participants of the “South Korean Foreigners” TV show (“대한 외국인”is a TV show about foreigners living in Korea), texted me in DM. He offered me a contract with his agency and then started finding ways for me to be on various TV shows. But some shows did not suit me, and I did not suit others. Then I auditioned for “Arirang TV” and starred there for one season as an anchor. I really liked to be filmed. I think that if the opportunity arises again, I would gladly work on TV again.
Do you have a fear of the audience or the camera? Based on your experience, can you give some advice for novice speakers on how to deal with this problem?
To be honest, I have no fear of the camera or the audience. But sometimes I do have panic attacks. The last time this happened was at the university during the presentation. I knew the material, but was not very confident about it. Then the other girl and I performed in a pair in a huge hall - there were approximately a hundred people in the audience - and at some point, I just forgot the text and could not say a word, I caught my breath. I must have turned very pale. But I know that if I control myself in such moments, I can calmly continue speaking in public.
As for some tips for novice speakers, I think that doing live streams on Instagram can be a good experience to start with. This is a great way to practice. When I record Instagram stories, I do two, three, sometimes even four takes. It rarely turns out great right away. Sometimes I stumble or cannot find the right words. That is why, when you speak at a webinar, at an online lecture or at such live stream on social media, you learn how to express your thoughts prettily and clearly.
Another tip: if you are performing live, find someone who seems kind and supportive to you. I usually tell it by the way they look at me. And if you feel like you need support, find this person to make an eye contact with them. When you see that they are listening to you attentively, the anxiousness immediately recedes. And if you look across the audience, you will definitely notice some uninterested people who are stuck in their phones. It really affects your confidence during the performance and your self-esteem. As for performing in front of the camera, it is essential to know the text well, understand what you are talking about, and be confident about your professional skills.
You have now started your career as a producer. Why a producer? Does your education help you in your work?
It all happened suddenly. For a very long time I did not know who I wanted to be, despite the fact that I have a degree in International Relations. In my second year, I realized that I didn't want to work in this area. Then I thought that I would work in some international company and provide economic assistance to various countries, but later I realized that this was not my thing either. I was genuinely trying find my path: I blogged, starred in various shows, advertisements, was an anchor at a TV show... After all, my boyfriend, who is also involved in producing, helped me understand that producer is the profession I never thought about, but it suits me very well. Following his advice, I decided to try working in this area. My education doesn’t help me in my work at all, but experience does. Experience in communicating with people, the ability to establish contacts and to be an intermediary.
You are involved in many projects, for example, opening a Queenless hive jewelry store. How did you become a part of this project? Did the jewelry buyer's experience help you?
When I met my boyfriend, he told me that he was involved in jewelry industry. We were both surprised about this coincidence. I began sharing my experience as a buyer with him. Then I started to come to his office, helping him with the promotion of Instagram, and somehow, they decided to officially accept me into the team.
I know about your huge love for Korean hip-hop artists. Who is your favorite singer/band? Who would you like to work with in the future?
My favorite artist is Bloo, I really want to see him live. This is the only person from “MKIT Rain” agency that I don't know personally, unfortunately. Some time ago my favorite one was the performer Zico. This is the person who inspired me to come to Korea. At school, I really liked the band “Epik High”. In the future, I would like to work with them, for example, record some podcast. I have a favorite phrase from their song lyrics, which is my motto for life: “My drive rules everything around me” (song “Rich”).
You are opening your course on how to get into a Korean university, how long have you been preparing it? How did it all start?
The idea of starting the course came to me two years ago. My mother inspired me. I have always believed that since I was able to enroll with no help from anyone, other people do not need to buy a course, if they can do it themselves. But then I became an online school mentor to make some money. To be honest, I did not earn much there, but I realized that people may really need a course, because some of them have no idea how to write a motivation letter, for example. Then I realized that my course would be in demand.
What are your plans for the future?
The most important plan is to get a scholarship at an English university, or, to be precise, at the University of Manchester. I hope everything goes smoothly and I can move to England. To be honest, I do not like to think ahead, so I plan only for the next year. I love adventure. One never knows how their life will turn out, so I don't want to waste my time on empty plans that may change over time. My boyfriend and I want to travel a lot, so I don’t know who and where I will be, but I’m sure it will be very cool.
