Hyunji Kim

KCI Staff
Korean Language & Cultural Program Coordinator

PROFILE:
Hyunji is KCI’s Korean Language and Cultural Program Coordinator. She previously worked as a production manager for various theatres in San Francisco, overseeing live productions such as plays and musicals. She was born and raised in South Korea, and studied Interior Design at Chung-ang University. She earned her BA in Theatre Arts from San Francisco State University after moving to the U.S. in 2016. Hyunji spends her free time playing with her dogs and taking care of her plants.

What motivated you to apply for the Program Coordinator position at KCI?

My career ambition is to create and manage productions that have positive influences on diverse communities. As much as I enjoyed working on theatre productions, more recently I decided that I want to apply my production management skills to working for a good cause with the potential to have a positive impact on my community. When I learned about KCI, I was sure it’s the kind of organization where I could pursue my goal, by coordinating cultural events and language programs to connect the Korean and other communities in the Bay Area.

What does your position at KCI involve?

As Korean Language and Cultural Program Coordinator, I support and manage the language programs KCI offers in partnership with King Sejong Institute (KSI), as well as Korean cultural events. I am the frontline communicator with the Korean Language Program (KLP) students (a diverse group), teachers, and KSI, ensuring the programs run smoothly. Through these programs, I am responsible for managing and helping to grow and strengthen KCI’s language and cultural programming to reach a broad audience..

What has been your experience so far working at KCI?

It has been dynamic — I’ve been learning a lot about how a non-profit organization works, building relationships with our language students and the Korean community, and carrying out my duties as a program coordinator. Working with KSI, a Korean government organization, is sometimes challenging as it requires a lot of detailed reporting and data management. However, it has been a great opportunity to train myself to work thoroughly, to adhere to the strict guidelines of KCI’s grant from KSI. One of my favorite experiences so far was related to helping KCI with the recent Chuseok Festival. I had not been involved much before with the Korean community in the Bay Area, and it was a great pleasure to interact with staff, volunteers and participants, and to get to know many influential Koreans, both in formal and informal ways, through KCI.

How would you like to contribute to KCI’s mission and work in the future?

It has only been a couple of months since I started, but I’ve learned so much about KCI’s growth as an organization and its potential in the future. I look forward to being part of such a hard-working team that brings positive outcomes not only for the organization, but also for the diverse communities we serve. I hope to be able to contribute to KCI’s mission by creatively producing and attentively managing the Korean language and cultural programs.