Since the 1990s, when the second wave of Korean immigration to the United States occurred, the children of first-generation immigrants who came to the United States have graduated from college and are now taking their place as leading figures in mainstream American society.
K-News LA will serialize “NexGen Stories” that highlight the lives and stories of proud second-generation Korean Americans who are proudly emerging as protagonists on the mainstream American social stage.
The first star of the NexGen Stories, starting this week, is anchor and reporter Sooji Nam, a second-generation Korean American from LA.
Anchor Sooji Nam, who currently works as a news anchor and reporter at WPBF, a local station in West Palm Beach, Florida, is considered a rising star in the American broadcast media industry.
K-News LA student reporter Heather Yang interviewed anchor Sooji Nam.[Editor]
Tracing the Stories of the Second Generation(1): Sooji Nam
Bridging the gap between passion and career, WPBF News reporter Sooji Nam has had success as a news reporter and journalist, including accomplishments such as interviewing presidential candidates Senator Bernie Sanders and President Joe Biden. Currently based in Florida, Nam has experience covering stories at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Nam’s career story is the embodiment of being a pioneer, pursuing passion and achieving success.
Growing up, Nam was raised by first-generation Korean-American immigrants who were fluent in Spanish as well as Korean. “Having parents who spent a significant portion of their lives in South America definitely pushed them to instill a passion for learning different cultures and languages. I was confident in my identity and was able to embrace who I was while growing up in Koreatown. It was comforting to be able to connect with my culture. There were always ubiquitous symbols of fragments of myself in the city. It was comforting to know that everything from my community to my favorite snack was only a 5 minute drive,” she continues, “I think my family was the most influential in shaping my appreciation for culture. I think it’s easy for most first-generation immigrant kids to forget where they come from, but growing up and trying to navigate between American and Korean culture, my parents made sure I always appreciated where I came from.”
Nam’s journalism career began in high school. She attributes her inspiration for journalism to her alma mater, Immaculate Heart High School. “Shout out to the best English and journalism teacher, Ms. Webb, and all my other teachers who pushed me to pursue journalism!” Nam played a big role in various communities during her high school years, including serving as co-editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, interning at The Korea Daily and Kids Talk Radio, and joining a class of Coca-Cola Scholars at the end of high school.
Sooji Nam attended the USC Annenberg School of Communications, where she double-majored in broadcast journalism and international relations. Nam credits Annenberg with paving the way for her to network and learn from the best in the journalism industry. Additionally, Nam studied abroad in Seoul and interned at the ABC News Seoul Bureau. During this internship, Nam worked alongside national correspondents, translated between Korean and English, produced video packages, and conducted live interviews for students at USC. Despite her thorough training, Nam was still unsure after college whether she wanted to pursue on-air television or production.
That uncertainty brought a common theme into her life: doubt. She says one of the most important pieces of advice she wants to give people is not to doubt themselves. “Perspective is key: people find their place in life at different times, in different ways, and through different processes. Don’t compare yourself to how someone else is doing at a certain time, and definitely don’t doubt yourself. Life will situate itself.”
When asked how doubt has been a theme in her life, she says, “Well, obviously in my career, but I think the opposite of doubt has also been prominent. At USC, I had professors who never doubted any of their students for a second. Their open-mindedness is a trait that I think I carry with me into the workplace today.”
After college, Nam decided to take a chance and pursue an opportunity to be a desk assistant at NBC’s DC bureau and remembers the experience as “one of the best of my life. It was key to networking, and some of the friends I made through that job opportunity are still my friends today.” Upon further reflection, however, Nam realized that she missed “being on the air, chasing the stories I wanted to chase and sharing people’s voices. This led Nam to pursue her first on-air role in Columbia, South Carolina. When the contract ended, Nam moved to her current job in a larger, more metropolitan area. Currently working as a reporter for WPBF 25 News in Palm West Beach, Florida, Nam describes the experience as one of the most challenging, but also one of the most rewarding. “The team is great – I knew they would provide amazing mentorship opportunities and help me develop my skills as a reporter. Being a reporter really pushes you to get out of your comfort zone and adapt to all conditions.”
Finally, Nam shares that she finds that most of her success comes from her ability to have fun while working hard. “Remember to stay focused on your goals, there will always be great memories to look back on one day.”
<Seoyoung Yang Student reporter>hseoyoungy@gmail.com
Seoyoung Yang is a Sophomore Student in Immaculate Heart High School. She is interested in Koreatown, its gentrification phenomenon, and Korean American culture.
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