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, author,^{[Published works 1]} advocate for ethical entertainment rights, TV and voice actress.^[1] Frances is a graduate of Denis Morris Catholic High School, and Brock University, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.

Career

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 ^{[Published works 1]} for the Korean government, focusing on healthcare, education, media and tourism.^[2][3]

Frances was quoted as saying that, upon attempting to enter the voice acting field as an expat, 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]

Frances' Seoul-based media works include EBSe's award-winning program "Bike Family", (IMDB), Arirang TV's Move it segment, voicing SK Telecom's Atti Robot's "Hansel and Gretel" Google app, and multi-genre work as an English speaking, character voice actress and singer in Korea.^[4]

Upon the release of SK Telecom's 'game-changing' product, popular tech website eGadget reviewed "Atti", stating: "Atti"^[5] 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."

Other televised works include EBSⓔ TV Survival English (actor, writer), SBS Star King: Teacher, Mentor to Korean Kim Na-young (television personality), CJ E&M: Step Up English, and Full Sentence English.^[6] She is currently a co-host on EBSe's "English news", an unusual broadcast combining Korean and English, a^[7] nd using AP content and improvisation.

Frances has been officially recognized by Chaebol Hyosung for voicing numerous international ATMS and providing the visual acting and footage for 2 new models (N America) for the visually and hearing impaired; Models: NH8OOSE, MX4000W, MX5000SE, over 30,000 locations (Launched 2013).^[8]

ATM, bearing Frances' image and programmed with her voice, displayed at Nautilus Hyosung Headquarters, Seoul

Production Ventures

After the Sewol disaster, Korean media observed a strong shift to more family focused content. Frances was hired to host a family centered EBS network segment, alongside Celebrity English Instructor^[9]"Saturday's Story-time with Kelly', a program in which she acted as writer, narrator, and/or voiceed the main characters of the original "story" she co-created with the cast of the network's Flagship morning show, Good Morning Special.

Also at EBSe, Frances 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, Frances joined the multi-media ESL program "Bike Family" playing "Mike", Macha", and "Amy", and acting as casting director.

In February 2016, she began hosting and developing J EI TV brainchild, FULL SENTENCE ENGLISH,^[10] and was eventually credited with shaping its learning focus based on her background in voice acting and professional experience in story board generation, eventually establishing a multi-season franchise.^[11]

Frances voiced her first full-feature film, Dear Emily in 2013, also providing script copy-editing and consultation.^[8][12][13] Of her work in Dear Emily, she said^[14] (this) a project that she says "is close to the 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]

Collaborations, Korean media:

Dexter Studios: WHITE RABBIT VR (English dub) post-production, 2017 launch, Directed by Chuck Chae, voice over.

Dear Emily: Feature film, English dub (Main character, Emily), 2012, Directed by Seungbin Baek voice over.

"Stay" by Savina and Dronez: Music Video, actress, featured actress, lip sync

"Trace 1", album, by Bad Cupid, guest vocalist (rapping), for "COMPLEX" ^[15]

"100 Epiphanies" Beta tester and English subtitle copy-editor, testimony author

Activism in Korea

In English-based activism, Frances is known as an author and spokesperson for the plight of the Asiatic Black Bear, or "moon bear", 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%"^[16]

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 worldwide. The resolution was considered a victory, with only China opting out.^[17]

Throughout her campaigning Frances appeared on Indie radio in Ireland,^[18] and TBSefm, and in all of Korea's primary English media. Her first video interview was on KBS World,^[19] 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 unrceptive 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."^[20]

Frances stated that she hoped the media would continue to provide coverage to the issue.^[20][21]

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.^[22] 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."

^[23]

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.,^[24] 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."^[25]

Cultural challenges

In 2010, Frances echoed the sentiments of philanthropic event planning entities such as The Seoul International Women’s Association (SIWA) in expressing frustrations regarding the challenges of funding philanthropic ventures. She suggested that Korean culture doesn't seem proactive in the area of charitable fundraising, stating "she has not seen many Korean NGOs organizing their own fundraising activities.

``I think Koreans don’t generally have a fundraising culture. It’s not part of their culture... Most Korean NGOs, when I ask them if they would like to join an event, (they) almost have never done their own fundraiser before. They usually have a hard time organizing one, so it’s not too common,’’ she said.

``One place in Apgujeong wanted to charge me 6 million won (exorbitantly) for a non profit venture. It is always an event planner’s challenge in fundraising, to have performers, prizes, promote the event and get the right figures to make sure you don’t end up with just $50,’’ she said.

National Daily newspaper "The Korea Times" stated, "The expatriate community is seen as setting an example for the Koreans when it comes to charity fundraising." Frances noted most Koreans do not seem receptive to the 'idea' of fundraising.

``In my experience, Korea has generally been the least receptive to fundraising. It doesn’t seem to make sense to them. They believe that this is your behavior, you should take responsibility. They prefer giving to their churches,’’ she added.^[26]

This has stance since changed.

"Fast forward to 2016, and many of my favorite projects transpired from online fundraising. The use of online tools seems to have made a glorious impact on how we assist those in crisis, raise money for art, collaborate...the possibilities are endless and wonderful.

Thanks to the IoT, regular people can raise money for a good idea through the use of several user friendly websites. That's one of the positive aspects of what is becoming a very SMS immersed time, and Korea is beginning to embrace it."^[27]

Frances is now an advocate and supporter of the expatriate acting community via grassroots group "Expat Entertainers ROK".

References

Published works