Meeting with KSI operation staff, Valeria Vivar, the Grand Prize Winner of the ‘2024 King Sejong Institute Workshop In All Americas’ Video Contest at KSI Santiago

In the video contest held during the ‘2024 King Sejong Institute Workshop In All Americas,’ Valeria Vivar, an operation staff at KSI Santiago in Chile, vividly captured a day at the KSI, earning her the grand prize. We spoke with Valeria, who is responsible for the promotion of KSI Santiago, about the behind-the-scenes of her video shoot and her experiences at the institute.

Hello, Valeria Vivar! It's a pleasure to meet you! Could you please introduce yourself to the readers of "Monthly Knock Knock"?
 

Hello! I'm Valeria Vivar, an operation staff at KSI Santiago, where I handle marketing, PR and design. I am also a student at KSI Santiago. Although I took a break for a while, I have been studying Korean at KSI Santiago for about three years. I naturally started learning Korean because I was very interested in Korean dramas and K-pop.

I've been working as an operation staff at KSI Santiago for about two years. I applied for the operation staff position in 2022 and have been in charge of public relations and design at KSI Santiago since September that year. Currently, I manage various tasks including SNS management, event content creation, and support for Korean language teachers at the institute. I majored in public relations in college and obtained a design certificate, and I am delighted to work in the field of Korean language and culture, which I love.
 

Congratulations on winning the grand prize for your V-log "A Day at KSI" at the recent ‘2024 King Sejong Institute Workshop In All Americas.’ Watching the video, you introduced us to the charming mascot of KSI Santiago, 'Mini Sejong,' along with your commute and various parts of KSI Santiago. Could you share how you felt about winning the contest and any memorable stories from shooting the video?
 

The process of creating a V-log on "A Day at KSI" was very enjoyable. Although it was a busy time with various events and end-of-semester duties at KSI Santiago, I truly enjoyed the moments of filming. When preparing for the contest, I was worried about completing the video due to limited time, but thanks to the encouragement and interest from the director of KSI Santiago, my colleagues, and the teachers, I think we achieved a good result.

The 'Mini Sejong' appearing in my video was a King Sejong doll made and donated by a student who participated in an event during Hangeul Day in 2022. Thanks to its cute charm, Mini Sejong has become the mascot of KSI Santiago. Currently, Mini Sejong plays a role in making students feel more friendly and comfortable during various activities, classes, or events at KSI Santiago. When shooting on the streets and subway during my commute with Mini Sejong, passersby would look on curiously at us filming with the doll. Meanwhile, the learners at KSI Santiago readily agreed to impromptu requests to film with Mini Sejong, and I have fond memories of taking photos with Mini Sejong or drawing pictures with the learners.
 
 

How did you feel when you were announced as the grand prize winner? And what was the reaction from your colleagues, educators, and learners at KSI Santiago when you shared the news with them?
 

I was truly happy. As my video was introduced among the nominees, not only I but the entire KSI Santiago family anxiously awaited the results, and everyone celebrated together the moment the winner was announced. I also received many congratulations from the learners at KSI Santiago. Additionally, winning the grand prize of a laptop made me very happy since my old computer was quite slow, which made it difficult to do design work due to long loading times and buffering. This new laptop will be a great help in my future design and video production work. Once again, thank you.
 

KSI Santiago, which opened in 2019, is the only KSI in Chile. Over the past six years, the number of learners has steadily increased. I'm curious about the types of learners who typically attend KSI Santiago.
 

Since its first semester in 2019 with 61 learners, about 1,770 learners have studied at KSI Santiago to date. In the second semester of 2020, for the first time, the registration surpassed 100 learners, and in the first semester of 2022, 254 learners enrolled. The age distribution of the learners is 62% in their 20s, 21% in their 30s, 9% in their teens, and 8% over 40s, with 89% being female. Currently, about 15% of the learners reside outside Santiago, with some commuting for over three hours.

Most of the learners at KSI Santiago became interested in the Korean language through Korean dramas and K-pop, and many learn with friends or family. As learners' interests in the Korean language grow, their focus broadens to dramas, music, food, language, and traditional culture. Therefore, KSI Santiago strives to reflect these varied interests through Korean language courses, cultural clubs, and summer camps, among other activities.
 
 

Valeria, could you share what you consider to be the highlight of KSI Santiago?
 

At KSI Santiago, we run a free Hangeul class called 'Hangeul para todos' (Hangeul for Everyone). This class is designed to allow learners interested in the Korean language to approach it without any burden. Once learners complete the Hangeul para todos class, they can read Hangeul, which seems to inspire them to discover new paths connecting them to Korea. Many learners apply for this class with their families and friends, and I feel proud seeing them work together to learn Korean over a shared interest.
 
 

As you are responsible for the promotion of KSI Santiago, do you have a unique approach to promoting KSI Santiago? Also, what role do you think KSI Santiago plays in promoting the Korean language and culture within Chile?
 

I am involved in various promotional activities to raise awareness about KSI Santiago. We use the bulletin boards at the Central University of Chile, our local operating institution, to display themed visual materials on topics like 'Hanbok' and 'Commemorative Days' to introduce Korean culture, and we actively participate in external events. We also make extensive use of social media to communicate with learners, sharing posts they tag KSI Santiago in on their personal social media on our official account, emphasizing that the learners are the most crucial part of KSI Santiago's development.

KSI Santiago collaborates with various institutions in Chile to introduce the Korean language and culture. We promote KSI Santiago at events such as K-pop festivals and university fairs. In 2023, we hosted events themed around Korea during the 'History Day' at primary, middle, and high schools in Chile. Through such diverse promotional activities, KSI Santiago provides opportunities for Chileans to engage with the Korean language and culture, creating a platform for cultural, linguistic, and people-to-people exchanges between Chile and Korea.
 
 

How strong is the interest in Korean language and culture in Chile? I am curious if there are many people who want to learn Korean. Could you introduce any popular aspects of Korean culture in Chile currently?
 

Chileans have a significant interest in Korean culture. In the commercial district of Patronato in Santiago, the number of Korean restaurants has almost doubled in recent years due to the growing love for Korean culture among Chileans. Nowadays, Korean restaurants can be found outside of Patronato as well. Additionally, Korean cosmetic stores, K-pop shops, Korean household goods stores, and even Korean pharmacies can be found throughout Chile.

Korean culture is increasingly becoming mainstream in Chile. Many K-pop concerts sell out, and on OTT platforms like Netflix, Korean dramas and movies are as popular as local content, almost aligning with the Korean time zone. Currently, the drama "Sweet Home" season 3, starring actor Song Kang, is particularly popular. Recently, the K-pop group IVE successfully held a concert in Chile, and there are plans for an upcoming concert by NCT.
 
 

Lastly, please share any goals or plans you'd like to achieve through KSI Santiago.
 

As an operation staff in charge of public relations and design at KSI Santiago, I want to continue transforming various news into higher-quality content and deliver it to more people. I hope that many will fully enjoy the diverse activities planned by KSI Santiago through our content.

Additionally, as a learner at KSI Santiago, I want to continue studying Korean. I think there is still much to learn. I hope to further enhance my Korean language skills and someday use them in real-life communication during a visit to Korea. I aim to gradually achieve my various dreams through KSI Santiago.