A veteran South Korean broadcast journalist, who even as a young student has always been interested in China, has produced a documentary, entitled "Super China," which has now set a viewership record in South Korea.
Because the documentary has also become popular even among Chinese netizens, the producer, Park Jim-bum, is now a celebrity and has been interviewed by South Korean and Chinese journalists. This is a reverse role for him since as a broadcaster he has always been the interviewer instead of the interviewee.
While working as a KBS correspondent in Beijing several years ago, Park had covered several big events in the Chinese capital including the annual National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Fluent in Chinese, Park has been able to develop close working relationship with his Chinese counterparts and top Chinese officials.
Park can remember vividly the first time he was accredited and allowed access to the media gallery on the second floor of the Great Hall of the People in March 2011. He said he could not forget the excitement and the sense of fulfillment that he felt on that day. He felt the same excitement when he covered the succeeding two sessions of the NPC in 2012 and 2013, respectively. "During the sessions of the NPC and CPPCC, foreign journalists like me had the opportunity to witness the workings of the Chinese government and how their decisions affect the Chinese people. The reports from various ministries gave us valuable inputs that we reported to our respective audiences,"Park said.
Park said like other journalists, he had to prepare for the NPC and CPPCC sessions in advance. He had a distinct advantage compared with other foreign journalists because he is fluent in Chinese.
Park, 46, has a long story to tell about his love for China. He said he was influenced by his father who loves reading classical Chinese literature and writing Chinese calligraphy. Park said he first became interested in China when he was just a teenager.