This summer I spent most of my time with Barbie, not only the doll but also Barbie pens, notebooks, pajamas, swimsuits, cosmetics, books, and so on. It first started on the day of my interview with Mattel Korea, which was in a small room full of Barbie products on racks on all four sides. It was like my childhood dream come true. Then the next thing I knew, I was working as an intern in the licensing division, collecting and organizing sales reports while helping with promotions. I thought it would be all fun and play, but soon realized that even with Barbie, work is work. Some people still think that all interns do are make photocopies and coffee; however, I was given responsibilities that kept me busy.
   All Barbie dolls are being imported, as other products are being licensed by domestic companies. As some of you might know from business class, licensees have to pay a certain royalty fee in return for using a brand name or trademark. There is a wide range of licensees that have their own specialty, and it is interesting to see the synergy effect that comes when it is combined with a strong brand. Through collecting the royalty reports each month, I could see the seasonal differences of the sales of each product category.
   Along with the royalty reports, I also helped out with various promotions to help increase Barbie? visibility in the Korean market. The biggest project was the joint promotion with Walkerhill Hotel, the ?eet the Summer Barbie?package. With the help of a stylist, we decorated a connecting room with pink wallpaper, Barbie dolls and play sets, cosmetics, books, games, everything a girl can wish for. Even though the room did look glamorous at the end, the process wasn? as smooth as I thought. There were so many small details to take care of. Setting dates for photo shootings, packing and unpacking boxes that went into the hotel operations, last minute changes and the small details all had to be checked. For a clumsy person, it wasn? easy to keep track of everything, but I learned through mistakes.
   It may sound like a cliche but I truly advise all of you to do internships while you are still in school. It will make you grow in ways that studying in school won?. For me, even though I sacrificed my vacation and worked 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., it was a great experience. Through my short time as an intern, I experienced what it is like to work in the real world, how companies roll and the burden of responsibilities and learned about myself. Moreover, I had fun.

- Eom So-ra (International Studies, 4)

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