These days, ever more young Koreans are seeking overseas internships to gain experience and self-development to boost their professional career. Under its Global Internship/Fellowship Program, the Foundation dispatches interns to prestigious museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, as well as the Guggenheim Museum, and to leading think tanks, such as the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institution.

I interviewed two KF Global Internship grantees, Lee Hae-won, 32, of NHN, and Yuree Kim, 34, a student of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of International Studies, who served at the Guggenheim Museum and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, respectively, last year. They said in unison that the internship was “very, very good, though too short.” The interview took place on August 28, at the KF Cultural Center.

Why did you apply for the KF Global Internship Program?

Kim:My major is international politics. I wrote a thesis on the policymaking of China and North Korea for my master’s degree, and I am working on a similar topic for my doctoral degree. But I was having trouble because of a shortage of reference materials. Then, I saw a notice on my school homepage that the Korea Foundation was looking for interns to work at the Woodrow Wilson Center. The Woodrow Wilson Center is an academic think tank with a nonpartisan political perspective. Besides, the center is famous for having a large volume of rare diplomatic s, including those from Eastern Europe, so I applied for the program without hesitation.

Lee:While I was working on the data management team of the Museum of Performing Arts at the National Theater of Korea, I subscribed to the KF Newsletter, where I noticed an ad for an internship at the Guggenheim Museum. At the time, I was looking for a chance to work in a new field because I believed that the demand for archival construction, as well as curators, would increase at museums in the

future. However, there were few opportunities for me to accumulate necessary experience and knowledge. Then I found the ad and thought that the KF Global Internship Program might be the very last chance for me to upgrade myself at a world-renowned art institution. So, I gladly quit my job without hesitation when I was accepted for the internship.

What did you do as an intern?

Lee:Apparently thanks to efficient cooperation between the Korea Foundation and Guggenheim, I was able to work at the museum’s Archives Management Office, one of the three choices given to me. This office was in charge of classifying and organizing data on the modern and contemporary art history of China, Japan, and Korea. My role was not that of a simple assistant but more like a working-level staff member. My knowledge of Chinese characters and Japanese helped a lot.

Kim:It was the same story with me. Since I had the status of “junior scholar,” I was allowed to do my own research at my desk. Working on the North Korea International ation Project (NKIDP), I was granted access to the relevant data, so I could read whatever material I needed for my research. I also played the role of a proofreader correcting the English names or eras in other scholars’ theses on North Korea.

How would you describe the working conditions at the two institutions?

Kim:I had a lot of freedom. At first, I reported to my supervisor whenever I went out to attend a seminar, as we usually do in Korea, but my supervisor told me that was not necessary. They had a self-regulatory system without a fixed schedule of office hours, which means that the harder you work, the more you get.

Lee:There were about 40 interns, including American students. But interns from other countries didn’t have sponsorship support like what I received from the Korea Foundation, so they envied me a lot.

Tell me if there’s any unforgettable experience you had during your internship tenure.

Lee:I was surprised to see the curators make a full use of the library resources. The Guggenheim Museum keeps numerous exciting materials, such as the collections of works by famous artists of the early 20th century and their signatures. But even more impressive was that its curators made so frequent requests for the library to help them organize better exhibitions by proving new materials, which was far different from the general situation in our art community.

Kim:Above all else, I found the open-minded attitudes of people to be the most impressive. I often saw the vice president of the center carrying his food tray in the mess hall, or talking casually with other scholars sitting side by side with one another, which rarely happen in our academic community.

Lee:Yes, the same is true at the Guggenheim Museum. At the general staff meetings, the director would transparently explain the museum’s overall circumstances, including financial conditions.

I understand the Korea Foundation offers a monthly living allowance of $2,000. Was that enough?

Lee/Kim:Well, it depends on where you live, since the home rental takes a large portion of your living expenses. The amount was enough to cover basic living. However, to participate in the workshops and seminars held at other art galleries or think tanks, you need extra money for registration, transportation, hotel, and other costs. So, I think I ended up spending about $1,000 a month out of my own pocket.

What advice would you offer to Global Internship aspirants?

Kim:A good command of English is a must. And for those who are interested in serving at the Woodrow Wilson Center, I would like to say that it would be of great help to decide on your specific area of research. More specifically, you need to narrow down the scope of your interest. Otherwise, you can be overwhelmed with too much data and too many workshops. In my case, it is regrettable that I only had a clear picture of what I should really do about the time I had to return home.

Lee:When writing your application, you must clearly explain how much enthusiasm you have about your research plan and what you want to learn in what area. And you also need to leave all possibilities open because there are many other jobs than curatorial posts at art galleries. While serving as an intern, you should remember that you can’t learn much if you only do what you are asked to do. One good way to learn more is to ask for advice from your superiors as often as possible.

Yuree Kim, preparing a thesis for her doctorate degree, said that she hopes to play the role of a bridge between American and Korean researchers in North Korean studies in the future. Lee Hae-won, who now has a new job, says that her dream is to develop an art library on modern and contemporary art history, accumulating data to support not only professional curators but other researchers as well. The KF Global Internship Program has obviously offered nourishment and springboard for these ambitious young people to pursue their career dreams.

Kim Sung-hee
Adjunct Professor
Department of Media and Communications
Sookmyung Women’s University