How does one transition from the classrooms of Ca' Foscari to becoming a public figure on the other side of the world?
Let’s explore this journey by speaking with Alberto Mondi, a Ca' Foscari alumnus who earned a degree in Language, Culture, and Society of Asia and Mediterranean Africa and went on to become one of the most recognised personalities in South Korea.
Alberto Mondi graduated in 2007 with a specialisation in Chinese. Thanks to Ca' Foscari, he spent time studying in China at Dalian University of Foreign Languages, enhancing his linguistic and cultural skills. After gaining various international experiences across Europe and Asia, Alberto settled in South Korea, where he established his professional and family life.
He began his career teaching Italian and conducting academic research at the Korea Institute of Public Finance. Later, he transitioned to the business sector, taking on prominent roles in multinational companies such as SAB Miller and FIAT-Chrysler. Then came the unexpected turn: Alberto entered the realm of South Korean television. His multicultural background, language proficiency, and skill in bridging Italian and Korean cultures helped him become a well-known public figure.
How did your transition from corporate work to television come about?
I began working in television purely by chance. When I started in 2014, I didn’t even have a television at home, so I was unfamiliar with TV programmes or Korean celebrities.
While I was employed at FIAT, a former client of mine—a club owner—contacted me and invited me for coffee, saying there was someone who wanted to meet me. That person turned out to be a TV scriptwriter looking for foreigners who spoke Korean fluently for a new television programme.
I was selected, along with ten others, from a total of approximately 500 interviewees. One Sunday in July, I found myself recording the first episode of a programme that could be translated into English as "Non-Summit." This show is a parody of the United Nations, where eleven foreigners discuss and debate various topics with the support of Korean celebrities and guests.
The programme I started by chance became the third most-watched show in the history of Korean television. It aired for four years and is still available on major OTT platforms in Korea. This experience completely transformed my professional life.
The audience seemed to like me, and I challenged their preconceived notions about Italian men. Out of those eleven men, I was the only one who was already married, had a stable job at a large company, and held both a degree in Chinese and a master's degree in macroeconomics. For over a year, I worked with hardly any days off, balancing my time between the office and television. I initially retained my job at FIAT because I couldn’t predict how long my success in television would last. After three years of constant commitments in the industry, I decided to take the risk of pursuing a career as a public figure—an endeavour that is as fascinating as it is uncertain. Now, after ten years of working in television in Korea, I believe it was the right choice.
How would you describe the television scene in South Korea?
South Korea ranks among the top ten countries globally in television production and is one of the top three when comparing production revenue to population size. Korean television programming offers significantly more variety than Italian programming.
The genres that tend to be most successful include talk shows, various types of music programmes (such as survival shows, auditions, and singing contests), travel programmes, and especially what is known as "info-tainment." This latter category encompasses programmes that not only entertain and amuse viewers but also provide educational content. For instance, some shows feature university-level lectures delivered by professors and experts, but they are made more engaging and entertaining by the presence of comedians and celebrities as the audience. In contrast, political talk shows are quite rare, and it is uncommon to see heated debates or arguments on television.
Many of the TV programmes produced by Korea are then also aired on major streaming platforms and often sold in other countries. For example, the format of my TV debut, ‘Non-Summit,’ was sold in many Asian and European countries. Another music programme on which I was a guest a couple of times, Hidden Singer, was also bought by Italy, among other countries.
Additionally, the average age of scriptwriters, TV writers, and directors is generally low, around 28 to 30 years old. This certainly makes Korean television more youthful and experimental compared to the Italian broadcasting system.
After living in Korea for over 15 years, what do you love most about the country?
What I love most about Korea can be summed up in two main points.
The first is the great respect all Koreans have for other people's things and for public affairs. Korea is a very safe country: there is practically no theft or shoplifting, every car has the owner's phone number indicated on the front window, and there is no need for armoured doors or alarm systems. It is a country where I am confident that my daughter, when she is older, will be able to go out late at night without any worries.
Second, I greatly admire Korea's dedication to culture and education. The government invests heavily in these areas, reflecting the country's commitment to fostering knowledge and the arts.
In the 1950s, Korea was one of the poorest countries in Asia and the world. Lacking significant natural or tourist resources, it focused all its efforts on its greatest asset: human capital. This investment led to rapid development, allowing Korea to become one of the most educated countries globally.
I love this aspect of Korea because a society that prioritizes education and invests in development and research is also an educated society, always at the forefront in every field and eager to improve itself and the lives of its citizens.
What aspects of Korean culture have you found most challenging to assimilate as an Italian?
In general, Koreans are polite, respectful, and well-educated people. If we are to make some generalisations, we can say that they share cultural similarities with us. They place great importance on family, enjoy gathering with friends, and spend a lot of time dining out, drinking, going dancing, or visiting 'norebang' (Korean karaoke). This leads to a widespread passion for food and a love of eating well.
Adapting was easy due to the people's good behaviour and their many similarities with Italian culture.
The most challenging cultural factor to navigate was the collectivistic and hierarchical nature of Korean society. In this context, an individual's freedom or choices often take a back seat to the preferences of the larger group, whether it be family or workplace. Before expressing one's thoughts or desires, individuals typically need to consider the opinions of the majority and what is deemed acceptable for the common good. As a result, personal freedom is often sacrificed for the benefit of the collective.
While always prioritizing the collective over the individual has positive aspects, it was also very stressful for me, as Italian culture tends to acknowledge and accept individualistic choices and behaviours.
Korean society is strongly characterised by hierarchical relationships, influenced by both cultural and linguistic factors. Informal language can only be used with someone who is very familiar to the speaker, who is the same age, or who is younger. When addressing anyone older or in a higher social position, honorific language must be used. This language should be adjusted according to the seniority or status of the person being spoken to. Therefore, Koreans, before talking to someone, must mentally compare themselves to the person in front of them and then decide what level of language to use. Notably, the word "friend" does not exist in the same way it does in English; instead, it is translated as "chingu," which means "a person who is the same age as me."
For an Italian, this is a very stressful and difficult cultural factor to assimilate. For me, even now, it remains perhaps the only minor difficulty in my Korean life.
