John Woo wears glasses and smiles.

Seoul is the capital of South Korea.

GoranQ/Getty Images (Seoul); Courtesy of family (John Woo)

I’m a Kid Reporter!

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

Dust storms. Super-tall skyscrapers. Endangered sea creatures. These are just a few of the topics I’ve written about. My name is John Woo, and I’ve been a Scholastic Kid Reporter for the past three years.

My favorite article so far has been about the FINA World Aquatics Championships in 2019. Swimming is one of my favorite hobbies. Plus, I got to travel to Gwangju, South Korea.

That might seem like a huge trip, but I didn’t have to travel very far. I live in Seoul, South Korea. I moved here from New Jersey three years ago, when I was 10.

The move was tough. I missed my friends in the U.S. And, at the time, I wasn’t as fluent in Korean as I am now. So it was hard to understand what was going on at school

Know the News

I still miss the U.S., but I also really love living in Seoul. As a Kid Reporter, I’ve gotten to know the city by traveling around to report on different events.

When I have an idea, I pitch it to my editor. Once I get the thumbs-up, my work begins. That includes research, a visit to the site (when possible), and interviews with experts. 

I’m not sure what my next assignment will be. But if I could interview anyone, I’d choose a scientist who created one of the coronavirus vaccines. I’d love to talk to someone who helped save the world!

Do you want to be a Kid Reporter? If so, here’s some advice. Be curious and always look for good stories. And stay informed by reading news articles.
Maybe I’ll see you on the team next year!

Become a Kid Reporter! 

Do you want to join the Scholastic Kids Press team? Students ages 10 to 14 can apply now. Find out more at scholastic.com/kidspress. Applications must be received by June 1!

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