An engineering student becoming an editor
Here, Editor Bonjin Koo, Special Project team, Kaya Media, talks about what he gained from attending the Kaya School of Magazines:
When meeting new people and exchanging business cards, I am often asked of what major I studied in. When I answer, “I majored in biotechnology,” the words I receive back are “how come…?” What do they mean how come? I guess it is still shocking to some people how an engineering student can become an editor. I confess now, but a few years ago when I saw the recruitment notice for Kaya School of Magazine, none of the information, such as tuition, curriculum, caught my attention. The only phrase that I saw was “any student who graduates with an ‘excellent grade’ will be hired as an assistant at Kaya Media.” It was like a ray of light rescuing a stray lamb, but it was not an easy decision.
During the first semester at Kaya School of Magazine, I learned theory, and during the second semester, we were divided into teams to create a magazine based on what we have learned in the theory lectures. I was the editor in chief of our team’s magazine, “Suit men.” With the thought of when would I ever be able to become an editor in chief, I volunteered without any hesitation. I knew that it would be a great experience since I would be able to participate in the process of deciding the fonts, designs, prints, and size of the magazine. I stayed late with the designer after everyone else left the office, revised the final word, and double-checked for all prints. I did not know at that time but I know now that not many editors had the opportunity to go through and experience all of the processes of how a magazine is created. As a result of working hard as an assistant at Esquire Korea, Harper’s Bazaar Korea, and Motor Trend Korea, I made my dream come true by working as an editor at Kaya Media’s special project team.
The secret to how an engineering student who only looked into the microscope was able to survive is “effort,” “sincerity,” and “the teachings” from the editor in chief of each media’s. Even the students I study with who were not given the opportunity to work as an assistant at Kaya Media are working at other magazine companies as an editor, thanks to Kaya School of Magazine’s curriculum. We still say that it was an experience that we could never get from anywhere else. You cannot become an editor by just staying home and looking through magazines. The Internet will not give you exact answers. The fastest way to become an editor is to attend Kaya School of Magazine.
Hee Sik Min, the editor in chief of Esquire Korea, is in charge of the courses as a chief lecturer. Specialists of various fields in regards to magazine, media, fashion, photography, design, and more deliver lectures at Kaya School of Magazine.
The theory course focuses on the history of magazines, planning contents, how to write articles, fashion journalism, how to design a magazine, brand marketing, digital publishing, and other contents that deal with the creation of a magazine and related works.
The practical course is open to those who have completed the theory course and offers students hands-on experience in the whole process of creating a magazine for an entire semester. Those who complete the practical course will receive a certificate from Yonsei University’s Institute of Continuing Education for the Future.
All the courses are currently lectured in Korean, however, Kaya School of Magazine plans to have English lectures as well in the future for those who are enthusiastic about creating magazines all over Asia and other parts of the world.
New semester begins in March and September every year, and the classes are three-hours long, once a week, and fifteen weeks in total. You can apply for the course online at go.yonsei.ac.kr. More details can be found on Kaya Media’s website or fipp.com.
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