This article is by Yoon Seung-jin and read by an artificial voice.



[Hired in Korea]

As more internationals look to build careers in Korea, many find themselves facing practical hurdles - from limited guidance to a lack of firsthand experience. To bridge that gap, the Korea JoongAng Daily talks with professionals who have carved out their paths in diverse fields, offering readers real-world insights on how to start their careers in the country in this series "Hired in Korea."

Passionate language learner Natalia Frias Crespo first arrived in Korea in 2018 simply to study what she considered "the cutest-sounding language."

A few days after her arrival, a stranger approached her with an unexpected offer: to model for a university promotional campaign. At first, she was scared since such castings were rare back in her home country, Mexico.

But curiosity won out.

She agreed, bringing a friend along for safety, and returned home safely after taking a few photos by the Han River. Little did she know that this one decision would begin her career journey.

Today, Frias, also known as Naty, is a star striker on SBS's hit TV show "Shooting Stars" (2021-), where teams of female celebrities face off in competitive football matches. Now in its seventh season, the show's success has helped Naty become a rising foreign entertainer in Korea.



"My mom told me not to follow that stranger, but that decision to work with him shaped who I am today," Frias recalled. "I loved being in front of the camera and having my pictures taken as a kid, but I never intended to pursue this career in Korea."

"But because I took that one opportunity, I've been modeling, appearing on TV and gaining recognition. Everything just fell into place, and I find it interesting how life works," she added.

The Korea JoongAng Daily sat down with Frias to hear more about her journey, the challenges of being a foreign entertainer in Korea and her advice for those hoping to build a career here.

Q. What TV shows have you starred in so far?

A. I've been on quite a few TV shows.

The first one I did was a Christmas special about volunteer work. It focused on foreigners volunteering during the holidays. We prepared food for the elderly, served them at the center and later went outside with the Red Cross to help raise money for the foundation.

One of the more well-known programs I appeared on before "Shooting Stars" (2021-) was "Teenage Parents" (2022-). Because they had a case involving a girl from Mexico, I participated as a panelist, answering questions about cultural differences and related topics.



So, how did you get started? Did you plan to pursue this field in Korea?

It all happened by chance.

I genuinely feel everything just lined up for me. When I was younger, I loved being in front of the camera, taking photos and having my picture taken, but I didn't come to Korea with the intention of pursuing this field. I came here simply to learn the language.

Then, during my first week in Korea, someone approached me while I was walking and asked if I could model for promotional content for a university.

I told my mom right away, and she felt it was a bit strange because in Mexico, it's not common for people to approach you on the street with modeling offers. We all worried it could be dangerous, so I asked my friend to come with me.

I ended up posing for photos by the Han River at night, and that became my first experience in the entertainment field.

How did you get cast for "Shooting Stars"?

My friend invited me to join a program where we had to dance. I remember saying, "But I don't really dance," but my friend insisted, so I ended up going.

That's where I met someone who was working as a manager, and he asked me if I played football. I told him that I didn't, and he said, "If you want to prepare, you can train, and I'll give you the details for the audition."



So, what was the audition process for the show like?

They told me about a month before the audition, so I had to start p...