▲ Jjangzomi YouTube channel.

YouTubing is so popular that it has become the number one dream job for children. Independent creators are becoming more common, and they can become popular influencers. Everyone has used YouTube by now. There are a few YouTubers around CWNU, and The Campus Journal interviewed an independent creator about their daily life as a YouTuber.

Q: Please introduce yourself.

Kim: Hello. I’m Ye-Jeong Kim from the Department of Financial Insurance. My YouTube channel is “Jjangzomi TV” which I run as an independent creator. The name ”Jjangzomi” comes from a nickname my friends gave me. My friends would sing the second syllable of my name as “Zomi” instead of “Jeong”. Then I added “jjang” to create my YouTube channel’s name. (In Korean “jjang” means the best or thumbs up.) I have about 1,000 subscribers, and I make videos which cover a variety of content such as daily vlogs, videos about restaurants, product reviews, music videos, and mukbang videos.

Q: What made you start YouTube?

Kim: I had always wanted to be a YouTuber, but I never tried. I thought that I needed expensive camera equipment or special content. Then in 2018, I went to study abroad in the Philippines and I uploaded a video of myself having fun experiencing another culture.

Q: What is your life like as a YouTuber?

Kim: I don’t plan special content ahead of time before filming. When an idea pops into my head, I think of a video that matches the idea and just start filming. If the video comes out well, I edit it with the 'Kinemaster' app. This application is recommended for beginner YouTubers because you can easily create and edit videos with your smartphone. There are some people who are uninterested in what I create, but in that case, I just accept it and pledge to work harder.

Q: What do you think is important as a creator?

Kim: The most important thing in the YouTube production process is to enjoy myself. I try not to force myself to act a certain way, I just try to be authentic and true to who I am. The second most important thing is communication and engagement. When subscribers comment, I always make sure to respond. Sometimes I make unexpected relationships because of YouTube.

Q. Have you created any special videos while shooting for your channel?

Kim: There are about 30 companies in Changwon that participate in the “Good Influence Movement”. This movement’s goal is to provide free food to low-income families such as underprivileged children and the elderly living alone. I shot a review video at one of these participating companies, the Burger in New York Hamburger located in Yongho-dong, Changwon. From this opportunity, I was invited to appear on KBS Changwon Broadcasting and Live Today airwaves as an independent creator. I was proud to be able to promote a movement that helps people in need through YouTube.

Q: Do you plan to do YouTube in the long run?

Kim: YouTube has the advantage of being accessible to everyone. Anyone can share their skills and interests through videos. The type of content that is popular on YouTube may change, but the YouTube platform itself is likely to last a long time. So, I’m thinking of pursuing a career as a creator if my YouTube channel continues to grow. Even if it doesn't, I’ll do it for a while longer because the process of producing videos and seeing my channel grow is fun.

Q: What are your major goals as an independent creator?

Kim: My long-term goal is to create travel content in countries around the world. And my primary goal is to reach 100,000 subscribers. As for my channel’s image, I want to make a YouTube channel that subscribers go to whenever they are bored. Everyone around me is always saying, "I'm going to be a YouTuber," and they plan for a long time without doing anything. So, I want to tell the Changwon University students who dream of becoming independent creators to focus on action instead of planning. A good beginning is half the battle. Start creating and experiencing new things!

By Lee Yeon-Ju,editor-in-chief  rosielee@kakao.com

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