The following interview first appeared in the October 2025 issue of Woopyo Magazine. Though not centered on Korean philately, it offers a rare and illuminating perspective on philately in East Asia through the experiences of a distinguished Japanese woman philatelist. In sharing her path to international recognition, this article broadens our understanding of the cultural and competitive contexts that shape collecting in the region. The piece was written by Jin Hur, Editor-in-Chief of Woopyo Magazine. For readers of Korean Philately, the interview is of particular relevance as it reflects the shared networks and exhibitions—such as PHILAKOREA 2025—that continue to strengthen philatelic collaboration across East Asia.
Japanese woman philatelist Emi Kikuchi (菊地恵実, Board Member of the Board Member of the Philatelic Promotion Society) has the rare distinction of winning a Large Gold (LG) medal at the World Stamp Exhibition in Thailand in 2023. She was the first woman in Asia to do so. Since she also won a Large Gold at PHILAKOREA 2025, we decided, given how rare such achievements are in the philatelic world and particularly in Asia, to take the opportunity of her visit to Korea to conduct the following interview.
