KBS Quiz on Korea preliminary round in Malaysia

My first ever quiz contest? Or my first Korean one? I can't be sure at the moment, but it's for sure my first ever talent show. 

I participated in the quiz on Korean culture, and got selected as the Top 10 contestants for the final of the preliminary round in Malaysia (the champion would then go on to take part in the final in Korea, appearing on KBS TV for its Thanksgiving special episode). I wouldn't have taken part in the quiz had I known beforehand that they would ask us to perform a three-minute talent show during the Top 10 round. 

In the middle of my 'satoori gag show'.

I was bewildered. I can't sing, can't dance, can't play any musical instrument well enough to perform on stage, nor can I do any magic tricks. So I ended up doing my self-directed sketch in Gyeongsang province satoori (one of the many Korean provincial dialects), and in the sketch I made fun of myself for not being able to dance or sing.... and that performance got me the first and only Popularity Award of my life.

I remember not even paying much attention when they revealed the prize waiting for the Popularity Award winner at the beginning of the contest, because I was so sure that 'popularity' would have nothing to do with me. I just wasn't popular, never was, still not. But surprisingly my self-dissing comedic sketch won me that title, and the Korean judges complimented me on my Korean pronunciation (and how they liked my satoori). I guess it's true that Koreans love comedic stuff like that. No wonder why KBS Gag Show is so popular a program in Korea.

Top left: With some of my 'supporters' of the day - my friends from uni,
and the advisor of our university's Korean Club. TQVM!
Bottom left: Winners of the contest. The Top 3 and myself.

One judge told me he'd invite me to be Kwang Soo's interpreter again if he manages to bring him to Malaysia again. He also asked me if there's any Korean companies that I would want to work for(he's a CEO of one, as I was told). Another judge gave me her business card and told me she'd help me look into ways to get an interpreter gig at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in 2018. 

For all the compliments I got from the judges, they might have said it only for the moment and could later just forget about me altogether, but I'm thankful for the experience. It was truly one of a kind.  

This page was written as a part of the entry on this blog
'2014: The year through my lenses'.