Kelly Frances

Kelly Frances, Fringe J street Magazine 2013 (Hongdae, Seoul)

Kelly Frances McKenna, stage name "Kelly Frances" is a Canadian media personality living in Seoul, South Korea. She is an animal rights author/activist, entrepreneur and actress.[1][2] She is best known for EBSe's multi-media program "Bike Family", as stated by her IMDB, preceded by hosting Arirang TV's Move it segment, voicing SK Telecom's Atti Robot's "Hansel and Gretel" Google app. Upon the release of the product, popular tech website eGadget reviewed "Atti", stating: "Atti"[3] is Korean for buddy or friend and judging by how he (or she?) and Brad got along we'd suggest robo is aptly named. Using a phone snapped into the top of the head, the robot reacts to <your> interaction with it via camera and a wand attachment that sits in Atti's hand while not in use." In February 2016, she began hosting JEI TV's FULL SENTENCE ENGLISH [4] based on her background in voice acting. She is currently a co-host on EBSe's "English news".

Frances is a graduate of Denis Morris Catholic High School, St. Catharines.

Biography

Prior to entering the acting profession, Frances freelanced as a guest columnist for The Korea Times, a national newspaper in South Korea. and freelance author for the Korean government[5][6]

Frances' hosted the EBS network segment, alongside Celebrity English Instructor[7]"Saturday's Story-time with Kelly', a program in which she acted as writer, narrator, and/or voices the main characters of the original "story" with the cast of the network's Flagship morning show, Good Morning Special. Kelly is the writer of EBSe's 'Actual English', Actual Talk, and also an actor (S2-Season 3). In 2015, with the launch of EBS TV's 2 channel, Kelly joined the award-winning ESL program "Bike Family" as "Mike", Macha", and "Amy".

Frances was quoted as saying that, upon attempting to enter the voice acting field, she "left her first audition Korea in tears after failing miserably. However, she was determined. So she went home, turned on the TV and "The Simpsons" came on. While watching, she started to practice until she could successfully make one voice."[1] In 2013, Frances voiced a full-feature, Dear Emily.[8][9] Since then, she has voiced video game characters, commercials, ARS, been on radio and TV, and provided voices for SK’s educational robot Atti. She has also started her own media company, called Mediaspyre, in Korea that does casting and develops content for various applications. She took part in the music video "Stay" for indie K-pop artist Savina and the Drones, a project that she says is close to her heart. "I was just blown away by the privilege," she said, commenting that she was able to record in KOFIC, which is the largest sound recording studio in Asia. [1]

She has been formally recognized by Chaebol Hyosung for voicing numerous international ATMS and providing the visual acting and footage for 2 new models (N America); Voice and video footage for global Models: NH8OOSE, MX4000W, MX5000SE, over 30,000 locations (Launched 2013).[9]

Activism

In English-based activism, Frances is known as an author and spokesperson for the plight of the Asiatic Black Bear, or "moonbear", a threatened and vulnerable species that is farmed for medicinal purposes in some countries. Frances opened a petition that has garnered over 10,000 signatures, calling for the cessation of bear bile farming, a practice she dubbed as "rejected by the Korean people to the tune of 94%"[10]

In 2007, Frances began English-based work in animal welfare with network Moon bears.org as a general Manager. Shortly after, she established an activism network known as Bear Necessity Korea. In 2012, Frances joined a team of international experts led by David Garshelis which succeeded in establishing a IUCN resolution to end bear bile farming world wide. The resolution was considered a victory, with only China opting out.[11]

Throughout her campaigning Frances appeared on Indie radio in Ireland,[12] and TBSefm, and in all of Korea's primary English media. Her first video interview was on KBS World,[13] where she discussed her reasons for stepping into the issues, highlighting how "The bear plays an important role in Korea’s founding myth. As the legend goes, the nation was founded by the union of a bear-woman and the son of the Lord of Heaven, Hwan-ung. Sadly, less than 20 Asiatic Black Bears roam South Korea’s wild areas today. Yet over one thousand of these animals, also known as Moon Bears, are kept in terribly inhumane conditions, due to the practice of bear bile farming."

Frances became a key reference point for English speaking media regarding the animal in Korea, though often expressing cautious optimism and frustration regarding the lack of media coverage about the issue in Korea, stating ""We found the Korean media to be unreceptive to the issue," she said. "It seemed to me that the issue of bear bile farming ‘was simply not big news’ in [South] Korea: it is not headline-worthy, lacks ‘sex appeal’, and it isn’t exciting enough to brandish [on] our front pages."

[14]

Frances stated that she hoped the media would continue to provide coverage to the issue.[14][15]

As part of her methodology, Frances urges tourists and locals to avoid zoos and theme parks, noting sub-par conditions and the risk of sending a dangerous message about the dignity of animals.[16] She organised 2 research trips to document the facilities at Korea's popular Bear Tree Park, stating ""Our objective is the documentation of bear care, facility maintenance, and to observe any changes in the quality of bear care."

The 2010 G20 Summit served as a platform for campaigning. A local movement, dubbed, 'The Bear Truth" was quick to capitalise on the scene with a giant bear and bear toys for sale in the streets of Seoul's Itaewon district. As the world leaders arrived, tension built around hot issues in the peninsula. "Our national image is being harmed and we are trying to resolve the situation," Choi Jong-won, an official at the environment ministry, tells me. "But the bears are private property and it is difficult to abolish the practice overnight."

[17]

Later in 2010, Frances joined Seoul pub Craftworks in their effort to launch an India Pale Ale in honour of the plight of the moonbear. Owner Dan Vroon reached out to Frances as a consultant. The beverage, which features the image of a moon bear and includes merchandise, has financially supported the cause. Vroon is vocal about his support; "We'll do everything we can to help out," (he) Vroon said.,[18] making him one of few entrepreneurs to openly oppose bear bile farming.

Jirisan IPA Logo

When asked about her hopes for the beers sporting bears around the bar, Frances answered, "We want to change people’s attitudes towards the bears here."[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140626001215
  2. ↑ McKenna, Kelly Frances. "IMDB". IMDB. IMDB. Retrieved June 2015.
  3. ↑ Cooper, Sean. "SK Telecom's Atti learning robot hands-on (video)". egadget. egadget. Retrieved Feb 26, 2003.
  4. ↑ Frances, Kelly Frances. "JEI ENGLISH". JEI ENGLISH TV. JEI ENGLISH TV. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  5. ↑ Frances, Kelly. "Midnight Madness Redefined". Korea.net. Korea tourist Organisation.
  6. ↑ Frances, Kelly. "When Healthcare becomes a vacation". Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-05-17.
  7. ↑ Shin, Lee Bo-Young (2008-02-27). "English and Practice". English Lecturer, Radio DJ, Professor, Author (English-education proficiency) (Korea Herald). Korea Herald.
  8. ↑ Baek, Seungbin. "Dear Emily". IMDB. IMDB. Retrieved 2014.
  9. 1 2 Korea Herald (June 26, 2014). "Finding joy in work". Thekoreaherald. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  10. ↑ http://vegan8korean.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/teddy-bear-museums-clever-interactive-anti-bear-farming-poster/
  11. ↑ http://www.wspa-international.org/latestnews/2012/iucn-votes-to-end-bear-bile-industry.aspx
  12. ↑ http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97322
  13. ↑ http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/program/program_seoulreport_detail.htm?No=2826&current_page=19
  14. 1 2 luong (November 26, 2010). "Unbearable". thanhniennews. Retrieved November 26, 2010.
  15. ↑ Luong, Dien (October 28, 2012). "Korean TV to spotlight Vietnam’s bear bile bugbear". THANHNIENNEWS. Retrieved October 28, 2012.
  16. ↑ http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20110831000339&mod=skb
  17. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11705543"Our national image is being harmed and we are trying to resolve the situation," Choi Jong-won, an official at the environment ministry, tells me. "But the bears are private property and it is difficult to abolish the practice overnight."
  18. ↑ http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/n_feature/2012/08/16/94/4901000000AEN20120816003800315F.HTML
  19. ↑ http://www.koreaherald.com/common_prog/newsprint.php?ud=20110601000393&dt=2
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, April 08, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.