Philippa: "One of my favourite parts of this internship was the ability to increase my network and discover new opportunities."
After graduating last year with a degree in anthropology and Japanese, I started looking online for opportunities that suited my studies but wouldn’t require overseas travel.
I knew I wanted something with an Asian focus, so when I discovered the Asia New Zealand Foundation and CJ Cultural Foundation internship, I thought it was too good to be true.
South Korean pop culture has played a significant role in my life since I discovered it in 2015, and ever since I’ve dreamed of being able to do work related to the industry.
This dream of working in Asia grew more when I visited Japan on a study trip in 2018 and was blown away by everything from the cultural traditions to the scenery, people, and food.
The CJ Cultural Foundation internship seemed like the perfect way for an arts graduate like myself to branch further into an Asian work environment, with the rare chance to utilise my knowledge of – and passion for – Korean pop culture!
CJ Cultural Foundation is part of the large South Korean conglomerate CJ Group. With a focus on corporate social responsibility, it supports local emerging musical artists, performing artists, and filmmakers.
A major part of this internship was the research project, where we were required to conduct market research on a topic related to technology and the future of music.
I decided to narrow this down to “the future of musical theatre,” where I discussed technological trends within South Korean and global musical industries and provided suggestions of ways audience experiences could be enhanced.
A trip to Japan in 2018 further inspired Philippa's curiosity about Asia and her desire to learn more about the region
As a growing fan of Korean musical theatre, I loved being given my own creative direction for this task as I could choose a topic I was invested in learning more about.
I felt that the research I was doing was significant; I could look ahead to what a post-Covid world may look like for the industry and had the chance to present my ideas to such an influential organisation. On top of this, I had so much interest in the topic that the research didn’t feel too much like ‘work’!
Although doing online work for an overseas organisation was a large step outside of my comfort zone, my fellow intern Holly and I were quickly welcomed as not just colleagues, but friends.
Zoom calls where we talked with our manager about our lives, cultural differences, and our favourite parts of Korean pop culture made me feel welcomed.
While it was challenging balancing other commitments on the side such as the AFS Global Competence Certificate offered to all interns, my manager was flexible and understanding, adjusting our calls to suit my schedule.
Because we were not able to travel to Seoul in person, our manager provided a virtual tour of the offices and cultural lessons to make us feel as though we were there. I am also very grateful to know that we will be welcomed there for a visit as soon as we can travel again.
One of my favourite parts of this internship was the ability to increase my network and discover new opportunities.
This year the Asia New Zealand Foundation partnered interns with local mentors who have ties with the country we were working with. I was partnered with Kiho Lee, the host of a Dunedin radio show dedicated to Korean culture: “K-Talk.”
He invited me to be a guest on an episode where I discussed my life and the internship, and we plan to film another episode related to K-Pop and technology in the future.
I also had the valuable chance to discuss my research with Heekyung Jo Min, the executive vice president and head of Corporate Social Responsibility of CJ Cultural Foundation. I am excited to see where connections such as these may lead in the future.
Philippa on a Zoom call with fellow intern Holly Tudehope and Heekyung Jo Min - executive vice president and head of Corporate Social Responsibility of CJ CheilJedang and Foundation honorary adviser
This internship has given me valuable insight into how connections are formed between New Zealand and Asia and the chance to make some of my own.
It has opened my eyes to how work is done in another culture and with people from other cultures, an understanding that I feel is important for everyone to gain. I now feel encouraged and inspired to pursue a future career in Asia.