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www.groovekorea.com / January 2014 28 Edited by Elaine Ramirez (elaine@groovekorea.com) INsIGhT besT ConTrIbuTors of 2013 Writer of the Year Winner Shelley DeWees The most difficult decision in all the awards was how to choose one out of all of our dedicated, gifted writers with incomparable skills and strengths. We agreed that the most important qualities were consistency, independence, ambition, writing style and, perhaps most importantly, dependability. One writer in particular pitches in with enthusiasm month after month, exudes a passion for her subject that is evident in her writing voice, pushes her own boundaries and pumps out stories faster than we can run them. We will take them all. Groove Korea recognizes food columnist Shelley DeWees as Writer of the Year. Illustrator of the Year Winner James Kim Of the dozens, perhaps hundreds of illustrations that Groove Korea has published over the years, arguably the most unforgettable is the simple image of an elementary school-aged girl holding up her own black-and- white funeral portrait. This image became the controversial cover for the September issue, “Korea’s dying students.” As with many of his other contributions, the illustrator was able to deliver a striking, undeniable message that few others could dare to approach. Groove Korea recognizes James Kim as Illustrator of the Year. Photographer of the Year Winner James Little There is something to be said about a photographer who will shoot anything from food to celebrities, often in a pinch, and do it excellently and for free: We need more of them. There have been countless emergencies in which we needed the perfect photo at the last minute, and whether it was a famous expat couple, a last-minute studio assignment, a plate of jerk chicken or even a draft of beer, we always knew who to count on. Groove Korea recognizes James Little as Photographer of the Year. Copy editor of the Year Winner Jaime Stief With Groove Korea measuring 100-plus pages every month, there are just a few people, our editors included, who will painstakingly pore over every word. There are fewer still who can read a story and realize even better words to tell it than the writers themselves. Our issues for the past year have carried the cleanest copy in our seven-year history, which we owe largely to our talented team of copy editors who continue to strive for perfection. Standing out is one dedicated copy editor who reads every story, every headline, even every ad from day one until the late hours before print. Groove Korea recognizes Jaime Stief as Copy Editor of the Year. Get ’er Done on Time award Winner Remy Raitt Likewise, there are few qualities in a journalist that are more valuable than doing an assignment, doing it well and, certainly no less important, doing it on time. Such dependable team members form the foundation on which we can build our integrity and reputation for quality. Groove Korea gives writer Remy Raitt the Get ‘er Done on Time Award for her exemplary punctuality. Get ’er Done award Winner Ian Henderson And then there are those trusty team members who see a hole and fill it. If ever we needed a story as quickly and painlessly as possible, we would turn to a stable of writers, photographers and illustrators who could work independently, consistently and often in a short time frame, and we wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. Groove Korea gives writer and yes-man Ian Henderson the Get ‘er Done Award for his exemplary hustle.