T&I - Translation and Interpreting
Chapter 1: It all started with a call in 2019.
It all began with a call from a University friend. He asked if I’d be interested in interpreting for the production crew of Blackpink. He thought my English and Korean were good enough for the job.
10th of June, 2019 was the first time I worked as an Interpreter.
That was my introduction to ‘interpreting’. I still feel very fortunate that my first experience was a paid one.
Towards the end of that year, the same friend called again. This time it was a Korean movie production filming in Melbourne. With no knowledge of what I was walking into, I submitted my resume, did an interview and signed a contract to work for about 3 months.
I fell in love with interpreting during this job.
I interpreted for people across departments - from assistant producers to assistant directors and others in between. At times, it was chaotic but strangely thrilling.
But the moment that altered the course of my life happened during one of the full-production meetings.
The main film crew of both the Australian and Korean teams were in the room. Long tables cluttered with laptops and coffee cups, papers rustling (storyboards and scripts). Everyone sat and settled down. As the directors and department heads began talking,
the main interpreter that flew in from South Korea began interpreting.
Her voice moved seamlessly between English and Korean while people spoke with each other. The mode of interpreting was simultaneous. She spoke with clear enunciation, confidence and at the perfect volume that reached all corners of the room.
That’s when I knew that this was it.
I sat there, completely mesmerised.
However, at that point in life, I knew I needed more language input, more life experience and confidence before I could pursue this profession seriously.
So I finished the final year of my Bachelor of Science in 2020, with an extended major in Environmental Science.
From then, I focused on broadening my horizons - working, studying, travelling to many places around the world, gaining adequate skills and experiences. All the while keeping my Korean and English studies consistent and up to date.
Three years later, in 2023, I completed a 10-week course to qualify for the NAATI Provisional Interpreter exam.
(NAATI - National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters)
After that, I decided to begin a Masters degree in Interpreting and Translation at RMIT University.
Chapter 2: Into the unknown….with a safety net
With my safety net - a steady job- behind me, I began the Master’s program with a mix of excitement and determination. I was finally stepping into formal training for interpreting and translation. But only a few weeks in, I learned something unexpected and out of my control.
At that time, in Melbourne, no one else was taking the English-Korean language pair at RMIT.
No classmates in this language pair.
No practice partners.
No one to exchange interpreting drills with.
Anyone who has studied interpreting knows how essential a study partner is - not just for practice, but for honest feedback with perspectives. This was disappointing but out of my control so I eventually let it go.
But! I was so fortunate to be taught by the best English-Korean Interpreting teacher I could ask for. She gave me clarity on my level of language skill, challenged me when I needed growth, and supported me in ways I didn’t know I needed. She put me in the right direction. Her belief in me was steady, almost like someone holding a lantern a few steps ahead, lighting the path when I’d ask for directions. Around mid-year, she introduced to other interpreters in Melbourne and I met my first study partner.
Around the same time, I joined a peer-mentoring program hosted by the Australian Institute of Interpreters and translators (AUSIT). It ran online and over the phone and through that network, I learned for the first time about the major graduate schools in South Korea specialising Translation and Interpreting.
Curiosity got the better of me.
With this in mind, in the middle and end of the year, I flew to South Korea and visited one of the schools. I walked around the campus and bought books about T&I that I brought back to Australia. On one of the trips, I had the chance to meet with an actively working interpreter. She gave me some insight into potential opportunities for me in Korea both inside and outside interpreting.
By the end of the year - after the classes, the mentoring, the questions and answers, campus visits, the quiet moments of imagining myself in Seoul - I realised that I wanted to give South Korea a real chance.
I wanted to see how far I could go if I fully stepped into the world interpreting.
Chapter 3: I do alright
To get into graduate programs in South Korea for T&I, I needed to sit entrance exams held by each school.
So, everything revolved around that goal.
For the first half of 2025, I prepared myself for what the second half of the year would demand. I wrapped up my jobs, downsized my belongings and travelled light to South Korea.
Settling in Seoul wasn’t instant. It took a couple of months before I found a rhythm - finding a place to stay, adjusting to the pace of the classes I took and the people studying for the same exams. As always, life threw its curveballs. Some days were tougher than expected, and not everything unfolded the way I had imagined.
But there were signs everywhere that told me that I was going in the right direction. I slept well, became healthier, exercised more frequently and consistently, made consistent progress. Although I wasn’t seeing much of my family and friends, my relationship with them improved greatly as well.
Last update - 23rd November, 2025:
I now sat the main exam, and I’m 5 days away form receiving my result. I was very happy with my performance on the exam. Did much better than I thought I’d do. This result will decide whether I’ll be in Australia or South Korea for the next two years.
Whatever the result is, I’ve gained so much. I came wanting to have a shot at studying interpreting in Korea. I achieved that. This is just part of the journey.
More to come.
