Hi. I am the representative director of four branches of The ten stenographers office and the author of Making a living as a stenographer.

  In a broad sense, a stenographer is a person who leaves a transparent record. Stenographers are also notaries who exclude personal opinions and record documents that should be used privately and publicly from the perspective of a third party at the same time as listening to and notarizing them. It can be said that the history officer, who recorded the words and actions of the king and each of the council members next to the king during the Joseon Dynasty was a kind of stenographer. Currently, various stenographers write records in various positions (public officials, professionals, start-ups, home) in legislation, justice, administration, government offices, courts, prosecutors, banks, universities, international conferences, etc.

  My first dream was to be a playwright who writes dramas. The dream is still ongoing, but I came across a promising list of options while looking for certificates in the upcoming college graduation, employment, etc., and that is when I learned about stenographers. Originally, I wanted to work in movies and dramas. However, the reality I experienced was totally different from the paradise that I dreamed of. During my 20s, when I was discovering my identity, I felt confused in the gap between fantasy and reality, and it was then that I was attracted to this stable and professional job. That is step by step how I became a stenographer.

  In all honesty, technology and AI are already replacing stenographers. In addition, there are many occupations that always appear as jobs that will disappear with the advent of AI, and stenographers are definitely ranked first in the vortex of extinction. However, even at a time when the fourth industrial revolution and AI are rapidly evolving, and giant dinosaur, AI is being patented, stenographers are firmly maintaining their position. This job, which was likely to disappear, is incredibly now processing more tasks faster and faster along with AI voice recognition functions. Behind the technology, there is always a stenographer as the head of records. In particular, many AI processes and platforms are replacing stenographers making trial records, civil and criminal recordings, or public recordings in court. However, ultimately it is up to stenographers to write and take responsibility for those records. Therefore, I think this business is evolving in the form of collaboration, not in the form of confrontation. More than a decade ago, when I started this job, it was just as tough to become a public official as it is today. Becoming a stenographer with a single certificate and without taking a challenging test was very desirable. Now, however, along with the big phase of COVID-19, the emphasis has changed to working from home, and childcare or full-time housewives. The preference for stenographer work is changing. I also think that the various types of work in the name of stenographers are evolving together with the times.

  Since it is a specialized keyboard for which one can obtain a national certificate, there is a slight difference in the method of writing, known as the method of transmitting text. In order to record quickly, known “Sokgisa” in Korean, the biggest difference to a regular keyboard is to learn how to type consonants and vowels at the same time, rather than typing out the consonants and vowels. It has the ability to enter and transmit long words and frequently used words with one tap. Foreign language conversion, Chinese character conversion, and special symbols are also performed, and it is also equipped with a function to control video or voice.

  I think the biggest advantage of being a stenographer is that we can work in relative comfort and that it is a respectable and professional job. We can work during pregnancy, shortly after childbirth and during the childcare years. After obtaining a certificate, we can work in a variety of interesting places including the national assembly, the court, congress, and the prosecutor’s office, or we can work in a private company with good welfare. It is not true that the door to employment is wide, but I think it is like a niche market for good jobs. 

  I want to become a brand “Stenographer Son Hyo-jin,” to the point where “Son Hyo-jin” is associated with stenographers. Furthermore, I hope that my experience as a stenographer will create a path for those who are just dreaming of becoming a stenographer. In line with the changing times, I also hope to see AI voice recognition minutes coming out of the system. It is Miracle AI (tentative name). My dream and goal is in the process of publishing two books after lecturing and consulting on the subject of stenographers. 

  It was not until I was about 40-year-old that I finally learned how to achieve my dream with a passionate heart. It is said that your 20s are an enviable time, but in my experience it was an anxious time because I was so young, and I could not give meaning to it because of my youth and inexperience. However, I think a lot of experience, a lot of conviction, a lot of trial and error have made me who I am today. People often ask, “What is it?” and “Do you make a lot of money?” However, I am still very honored to be able to introduce this job, stenographers to CBNU students who are spending precious time in their 20s. Thank you. 

  In the process of setting this interview, the reporter thought that she should interview experts who could have a positive impact on CBNU students. Through this article, the reporter hopes that students will have one more option when choosing a job in the future. That is the exiting option of being a stenographer.