Meet Devin Whiting, an anchor at Arirang TV
Devin Whiting, anchor and editor at Arirang TV
By Kim Hyun-bin
Devin Whiting, who is an anchor and editor for state-run international English-language broadcaster Arirang TV, has had a special interest in Korea for roughly two decades.
His love of the country and its culture started in his high school years. Whiting, 33, grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and went to high school and university there. The city is well known for its large Korean community.
“There were a lot of Korean students in my classes,” he said. “I had a Korean orchestra teacher in high school, who was a great mentor and who I remain in touch with to this day.
“Getting to know these people led to an interest in their cultural background, which of course at the time was very unfamiliar.”
In college, Whiting watched Arirang TV programs to learn more about Korea’s culture and the language.
“I had actually watched Arirang TV while attending university in the 2000s,” he said. “It was both a way of learning a bit of the Korean language and of learning about the country itself. That's proof to me that Arirang is reaching people abroad.”
His interest brought him to Korea as an exchange student in 2007, and for the most part since, he has lived in the country.
Whiting has worked for several broadcast companies, including tbs eFm, Yonhap News TV, EBS and Arirang TV. He has also worked at China’s Xinhua News Agency.
“The news is interesting work,” Whiting said. “And so much of public opinion, which in democratic countries has a huge influence on policy, is shaped by what we see and hear on radio and TV. I like to think that what my colleagues and I are doing results in a public that's more informed.”
Whiting hopes to continue his career in broadcasting, whether in Korea or the U.S.
“I want to continue to see my strengths put to good use,” he said. “That could mean helping build a bigger, better Arirang TV, or it could mean leveraging this rather unusual career path to stake out a place in the American news media.”