by Yeonu Park
Hi! I’m Yeonu Park, and I participated in this internship through the Korea WEST program. I first got into content creation back in high school, when I joined a media program that gave me the chance to try out different types of video projects. As I explored more, I realized I was more interested in media content than in traditional film. Since then, I’ve been set on becoming a content creator.
When I found the internship opening at Orange County Coastkeeper, I was immediately drawn to it. I’ve always cared about the environment—especially environmental issues in Korea—so this felt like a meaningful opportunity to bring together my interests in media and environmental work.
Living in the U.S. was a pretty big step for me. I had never lived alone before, and since I spent almost all my life in Korea, I worried about how I’d adapt, especially in a work setting. But honestly, I adjusted faster than I expected. Everyone at the organization was so kind and welcoming, and their positive attitude toward Korea made me feel really comfortable from the start.
One of the most rewarding parts of my internship was creating my own YouTube vlog series. Before this internship, I had mostly worked on one-off videos, so making a full series felt totally new to me. It pushed me creatively, and I gained a lot of confidence through the process. I’m excited to take what I’ve learned here and try more series-style projects back in Korea.
Even though I usually create casual, vlog-style content, I also got the chance to help out with high-quality interview shoots. Just being there during setup and watching how the team approached production gave me a fresh perspective. I learned a lot, especially in terms of camera work and overall planning.
This internship really taught me a lot, not just about video but about the environment too. I had an interest before, but not much background knowledge. Thanks to events like cleanups, birding adventures, and the Shells for Shorelines project, I learned so much and felt more connected to the work. It’s definitely an experience I’ll carry with me, and one that I hope will keep shaping my growth moving forward.
