0161 Korean Spelling Champ

She’s a sixth grader. She’s a champion speller. Her favorite word is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. She credits Akeelah and the Bee for inspiring her interest in spelling. She made it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee two years in a row. And here’s the part that gives this story its so whatitude if you will: her name is Seo Ji-won, she lives in Korea and she learned her fluent English studying at home with her mother and by watching English TV, especially game shows. She has never lived abroad nor attended any English cram schools. Though she didn’t reach the spelling final in 2008, she is hoping to be the champion of the world in 2009 to, in her words “show that Koreans have good English skills.” Can you spell motivated? #ceas #hacker #SouthKorea