DramaFever's Grace Subervi On Hosting The KCON 2015 Red Carpet And Her Adventures In Korean Entertainment [EXCLUSIVE]

Grace Subervi is one of the latest additions to the on-screen talent at DramaFever. A New Jersey native, Subervi turned her love for Hallyu into a career after studying Korean to the point of fluency.

A former MTV VJ, she recently hosted the red carpet at KCON 2015 in Los Angeles where she learned dance moves from Sistar and exchanged banter with Super Junior. She followed her work at KCON with the McDonald's B-Boy Royale, where she was a co-host with Chinese-American hip-hop legend, MC Jin. Her previous interviews have included exclusives with Big Bang and B.A.P.

KpopStarz spoke with her to learn more about her adventures in Korean entertainment and her upcoming projects with DramaFever.

KpopStarz: In addition to your recent work with the KCON LA red carpet and the B-Boy Royale event, you worked as an MTV VJ. How did you get started with hosting? Do you have any advice for students who are considering a career within television or event hosting?

Grace Subervi:  I love hearing people's stories, listening to their journeys and watching them light up talking about their passions and projects. That led me to interview fellow musicians and artists for various channels, and then to work with MTV, Fuse, Awesome ITV, and now DramaFever.

For those looking to jump into tv production and hosting, on-set experience is so valuable. If you can learn what the goals of the producer, writer, channel, talent, and crew are, it makes you a stronger teammate in whichever role you choose to focus on.

Having a specialty also helps set you apart in the industry. Look for topics, hobbies, genres, or industries that you're most passionate about, and learn everything you can about it. The more specific and unique it can be, the better!

KpopStarz: You are a proficient Korean and Spanish speaker. How long did it take to learn Korean?  

Grace Subervi:  After falling down the k-rabbit hole about eight years ago, learning the language came mostly from watching dramas, listening to the music, chatting with friends, and using resources online to learn the writing, vocabulary, and grammar. I was able to converse, read, and write comfortably within a couple years, but it's a continuous learning process which I've kept studying and practicing since then.

KpopStarz: Who was your favorite artist to meet during the KCON LA Red Carpet? Was there anyone in particular that you were nervous about introducing? 

Grace Subervi:  Biased answer, but I was so pumped to chat with Super Junior. I'm a longtime ELF since watching their music video for "Happiness." They helped kick-start me down this fabulous journey, so it was a great moment.

More than nervous, I was energized by the crowd and their response to all the artists on the Red Carpet. Their love was contagious and so palpable.

KpopStarz: Please discuss your work as a vocalist or acting trainee at Born Star.

Grace Subervi: Training with the acting coaches and students at Born Star has helped me immensely in taking my acting chops from theatre and improv here in the U.S., and applying them to Korean dialogue and scenes much more fluidly.

KpopStarz: What are some of the challenges or advantages of working within the Korean entertainment field, as international talent?

Grace Subervi:  It goes without saying that the language can be the main challenge. Without a strong command of Korean, the options are limited. But if you can overcome that hurdle, the industry is incredibly receptive.

Also, since international interest in Korean media, music and entertainment has grown immensely within the past several years, we can offer the perspective of an international fan.

KpopStarz: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?  

Grace Subervi:  I'm so thankful for all the activities I've been involved with so far this year and am super excited about some acting and music projects lined up for Korea and stateside. Can’t wait to show you all soon!

Tags
Dramafever
Grace Subervi
KCON
KCON 2015
Join the Discussion

Latest Photo Gallery

Real Time Analytics