Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Yujin Choi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Yujin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I’m much happier to be an artist than being an office worker. This thought always comes to my mind whenever I hit the wall. Whenever I question to myself like, ’Ok, the situation is not easy, but would you go back the office life?’ Then my answer is always ‘no’. Even thought I will get a chance to work at the office again, I will choose my life to be a dancer. Before I decided to be a full time dancer, I used to juggling between my day job and be a dancer. For that three years, I worked for two different companies. Of course I learned a lot as an office worker. Understood how the system works in the companies, how to deal with relationships in work situations and many little life lessons. I was in a very stable lifestyle with regular income and fixed daily routine, but there was not much happiness.

I was always under the mood of escape, out of the office asap than fulfilled and satisfaction. I was physically fine but being in that thoughts the whole time made me more and more exhausted mentally. I was getting depressed and getting harder and harder to wake up in the morning. My physical stamina had dropped so naturally getting away from dancing.

I wonder why it was so hard for me to be a regular office worker. But it was just not my thing. I was on the verge of quitting. So I decided to leave. I gathered all money I had and decided to go for a dance trip. I wanted to be in the place where no one knows me, spend my own time, while do whatever I want. That’s how I landed in New York. I took bunch of classes of my favorite dancers, met many friends from different background and met various styled dancers.
Luckily had various experiences too. Featured in a musician’s music video, had a chance to do a stage performance, also stood in front of a camera for a look book. That three month was a dream. I was more than happy everyday.

By the time I had to come back to Korea, I was in huge concern. ‘Can I maintain my life as a full time dancer? Should I go back to regular salary life?’. It lingered with me for a while even after came back to Korea. And then few people asked me to open a class for them. I was not fully sure about it but just went it. And then, more and more people came to my class, so I could be a full time dancer.

If anyone out there is asking same question to themselves, I want you to ask yourself first.

Are you happy as who you are? Satisfied with your lifestyle? If not, I want you to challenge yourself. You till have long life to live!

Yujin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As I mentioned it briefly earlier, I was indecisive between living as an office worker and a dancer. But I ended up here after chasing what I love. I was so sure of dancing and wanted to be recognized as a dancer.

I’m YUJIN, and I’m one of the first dancer who started Afro Dance in Korea.

Mainly do dance lessons, but also do stage performances, party organizing, commercial works, modeling. It’s not easy to live as a dancer in Korea. There’s no certification so you have to promote yourself consistently, also you need your own solid character. So you can attract your regular customers who wants to learn from you and same as commercial works too. Dancers Management scene is not that big in Korea so lots of dancers need to do most of the works by themselves. Including your own branding and marketing. Very much a freelancer.

But, what I really feel attracted by this job is you can experience many difference field not just dance. You can work as a player(dancer), can choreograph for singers, can work as a performance director for various shows. You can also be in the music video as a dancer or as an actor, or can be a model for many brands. Of course it’s all can followed up after your consistent self PR and brand marketing.

All these process are not easy, but I’m earning enough financial awards as much as I work and the fact that I can do what I love gave me enormous happiness. Especially these days I’m getting many business approaches in a way that I never expected which makes me really excited. Again, I know I need to put more effort to maintain this momentum but still I’m excited.

People whoever knows me says that me growing my own self by do what I love is the coolest part of me. And I’m proudly agreed.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

It’s hard to pick only one, but most of the time it’s when my students or crowds feels happy with my dance. It was my birthday few days ago, I was in a burnout stage because of busy schedule. And then, I got so many birthday wishes and letters from my students that says they feel happy while watching my dance. Some of them says taking my classes feed them the energy to go through their weeks. I can’t read you all the messages here but most of it were thank you messages for positive energy that I gave them through dance.

Those messages rejuvenated me again. It was such a fulling moment for me to remind of me how much I love my job and I’m a positive and energetic person. This is my driving force, when my students feel happiness. I hope more and more people experience the dance that I love. Dance gives you ultimate happiness when you do it together.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I’m an Afro Dancer. This genre is not that famous in Korea. Me and my crew started few years again together and we only have small group of people started noticing us. My goal is popularize Afro Dance like Zumba Dance in Korea. I want to build the spectrum of people from profession like me to doing it for fun. I hope much more people can feel the positive energy and happiness that my students felt. Dance is great for your life! It affects positively on you in both physical way and psychological way. Especially Afro Dance. That energy and freedom that you feel while you dance, I want all of Koreans can feel it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @yujin_shoulder
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEDDSSmXWWyUZOmLDnynUPA

Image Credits
@margaux_rodrigues_photographer @heeso0o0o0o_ @js.film_