For the longest time I was not honest with myself. I thought I had to fulfill the role of becoming the doctor in my family when my older sister decided against it. Do not get me wrong, I love science and math, but I could not see myself doing it for the rest of my life. Part of me wanted to work in the entertainment industry, however, everyone knew that I was a K-Pop fan, so I was ashamed to admit it. The feeling of being judged and people making assumptions about me. After a few years of lying to myself, I said enough is enough, I am going to choose me. And that is what I am doing.
I know I want to love what I do for a living. I want to be proud of my job when I talk to others about a day in my life. The accomplishments I make in life will be the ones that guide me to the rest of my future. Medical school was not it. One thing I knew growing up was that I wanted to travel for a living, if my future job allowed me to go all over the world at some point in my life, I was all for it. Growing up I went to many MANY concerts and festivals; as I got older, I started to think about the event as a whole. Who does the behind the scenes work for a tour/multi-day festival? Thinking about that led me down a rabbit hole of career options that I never knew existed. That was the start of it all.
Graduation is coming up soon and although I am taking a break for a little while, I want to make sure I do not let good jobs pass by. From LinkedIn to South Korean jobs boards, I have been scouring the internet for opportunities. I am not limiting myself to just entertainment companies, but I have been opening up my search to magazines, tv broadcasting stations, etc. Any place where I could encounter people who work for the companies that I eventually want to work for.
Being a foreigner it can be a little difficult to find a job in South Korea. But do not let that stop you. I have considered teaching English in Korea as Step 1, being there will allow me to learn more and be immersed in the environment. However, if you do not want to drop a good amount of money to get a TEFL or TOEFL certification, there are many people who document their work life in Korea. I follow a few YouTubers who have answered questions on what got them there, what they do, how they got their, etc. Some YouTubers I follow are:
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Seoulsoul (works at Korean broadcasting station) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuId8Ar6e5l0wlc_SfaslSA
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Kieun Choi (vlogger, has talked about her job and experience) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC67frK48u_HDpVsIQMuwpWg
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Dearnessie (was a foreign exchange student and still has influencer ties in Korea) – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnj-zykC0v_6LFxf5WndmwA
Do not be afraid to follow your dreams! There will always be people that try to tear you down, but enough is enough. Doing what you love is going to make life a whole lot easier (and more enjoyable). Never give up on what you want to do. Be persistent, be bold, be fearless and go after your dreams.