French-born broadcaster Fabien broke a roughly 10-month hiatus and shared surprising news about his recent life. After stopping broadcasts and YouTube and disappearing from public view, what he returned holding was none other than a "tourist guide interpreter" certificate.
On the 7th, Fabien uploaded a video titled "The reason I disappeared all this time" to his YouTube channel and candidly revealed his feelings to fans. In the video, Fabien said, "As you might have guessed, I went through a difficult time last year," noting, "I temporarily stopped YouTube, broadcasting and even meeting people," which drew sympathy.
What lifted him up during the hard times was his "original intention." Fabien said, "I asked myself what I like most and when I am happiest," noting, "The answer was obvious. It was Korean culture and Korean history. Although it was a difficult time, I wanted to take a step forward and use it meaningfully." At the end of his wandering, he decided to study more deeply the Korea he loves most.
The "tourist guide interpreter" that he challenged is a government-certified qualification that guides and explains Korea's history and culture to foreign tourists, and it is a difficult exam boasting a vast scope including national history·tourism resources·tourism laws·introduction to tourism studies. Fabien said, "The scope was really wide and it wasn't easy. I formed study groups with friends and studied seven hours each week," revealing the intense yearlong process.
After relentless effort, Fabien obtained the certificate and showed his special love for Korea, saying, "Studying made me feel better, and I was able to spend that time meaningfully. I learned a lot about Korea and feel closer to it." He also shared a behind-the-scenes anecdote: "I took the TOEIC for the first time in my life. I missed two questions. It's a bit disappointing not to have a perfect score, but I'm not a native speaker."
[Photo] YouTube video capture
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