Mastering the Craft: A Journalist’s Take on the 2025 Korea.net Honorary Reporters Workshop
2025-06-27The first Korea.net Honorary Reporters Workshop of 2025 brought together contributors from around the globe for an insightful Zoom session on June 14. Led by The Dong-A Ilbo journalist Jaewoong Chang, the session titled “Mastering the Basics of Article Writing” covered key principles of writing, common mistakes, and Korea.net’s editorial expectations.
Chang guided Honorary Reporters (HR) through topics such as the Basic Principles of Article Writing, Key Elements of Korea.net Honorary Reporter Articles, Key Features of Different Article Types, Common Writing Mistakes, and Tips for Writing Compelling Content.
As a journalist with over 17 years of experience, I found the workshop especially helpful in sharpening writing fundamentals. The topic on crafting catchy headlines stood out, as it emphasized the importance of grabbing readers’ attention from the start.
In addition to the foundational concepts, Chang offered guidance on adapting articles to Korea.net’s style, explained the difference between Q&A vs. storytelling formats, and conducted interactive exercises that encouraged attendees to apply what they had just learned.
An Insightful Q&A Session
After a brief 15-minute break, the workshop resumed with a live Q&A session. One recurring question was about the use of social media photos in articles. Chang clarified that while social media images are often publicly accessible, writers must always include proper captions to indicate the source clearly.
As someone whose articles have been plagiarized and whose photos have been reposted without permission or credit, this topic hit close to home. It served as a timely reminder of the importance of media ethics and attribution.
Another highlight was Chang’s career story. Having transitioned from international sales to journalism, he shared that reading widely and writing often were key to his development. He also stressed the importance of peer reviews.
Personal Reflections
Though the workshop spanned three hours, it felt engaging and left me wanting more. While I was trained in AP Style, this session served as a much-needed refresher, especially in navigating Korea.net’s unique editorial expectations.
I found the segments on travel writing and event participation articles particularly useful. As a freelance journalist, I often attend events independently rather than as invited media. This requires me to actively source basic details such as the event’s purpose and its organizers. Gathering this information isn’t always straightforward, particularly for events like the recent ASEAN-Korea Music Festival ROUND 2025, which involved multiple co-organizers and affiliated agencies, each providing differing details across their respective websites.
One of the challenges I frequently face is maintaining consistency in writing style. As a freelance journalist contributing to various publications, I often switch between British and American English. Given Malaysia’s Commonwealth ties, our education system emphasizes British English. I grew up learning it, was trained in it during my journalism studies (under an Australian-based curriculum), and applied it daily during my decade at an English-language newspaper. When writing for Korea.net or other U.S.-based platforms, I need to consciously shift to American English.
Overall, the workshop was an excellent refresher and a reminder that good writing is a continuous learning process. I am grateful for sessions like these, which also reinforce the value of clear, ethical, and engaging storytelling.
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