We were lucky to catch up with Sooyeon Yoon recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sooyeon, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

One of the biggest risks I’ve ever taken in my life was when I was 19, I decided to completely change all my plans and move to the U.S from South Korea, my home country.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve been extremely passionate about musical theatre. Performers on stage, singing, acting, felt like heroes to me, and I naturally dreamed that one day I would stand on that stage too. Throughout high school, my goal was clear: I would study musical theatre in Korea and follow that path step by step. I was already taking lessons and I had even registered for college, so I wasn’t really worried about anything and my future felt predictable.

But everything changed during a trip to LA with my mom after graduation. Seeing the touring production of Hamilton was a life-changing moment. My heart was racing throughout the show and by the final curtain call, I felt something awaken inside me. Stepping out into the night air after the performance, I had an undeniable certainty:

“I have to come to the U.S. I have to do musical theatre here.”

It wasn’t a fleeting feeling. it was a strong, compelling certainty that pulled me forward. Even on the flight back to Korea, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And so, I acted immediately: I canceled my college registration and put all my previous plans on hold. When I told my parents I wanted to study acting in the U.S., they were understandably worried. I was 19, had no connections, limited English skills, and no financial cushion. Anyone could see it as a reckless choice.
But they also saw how deeply I wanted it. They recognized that this was truly my path, and eventually, they gave me their blessing. I let go of everything I had built in Korea, language, culture, friends, family, even a guaranteed college seat and jumped into an entirely new world.

Life in the U.S. was far from easy. There were language barriers, cultural differences, moments of uncertainty, and fear that maybe I’d bitten off more than I could chew. But through it all, I learned what growth really means. Every challenge, every failure, every step forward taught me resilience and strength. Most importantly, knowing this was a path I had chosen for myself kept me moving.

Over time, I realized why taking that risk was so important. It wasn’t just about studying abroad, it was about living in a bigger world where my dreams could breathe. I wanted to test my potential, see where my talent could shine the brightest, and push beyond the comfort of a stable, predictable path. And now, I can confidently say it was the best decision of my life. Performing alongside artists from diverse backgrounds, learning new approaches to acting, and dreaming within a broader perspective helped me grow not just as a performer, but as a person.

Most importantly, that risk transformed me, from someone who stayed within a small, safe world into someone who creates her own path. I’ve come much closer to the person I want to be, and my life has expanded in ways I could never have imagined.
For me, it wasn’t just a risky choice, it was a decision that made me the protagonist of my own life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve loved singing and performing in front of people since I was about seven years old. Growing up, my mother would often play recordings of Maria Callas and Korea’s famous opera singer Sumi Jo and I loved singing along to them. I think she noticed my interest early on (Thanks to my mom), she put me in a choir. From that moment on, music and performing became a central part of my life, and I’ve been singing ever since.

Up until I was fifteen, I trained in classical voice, dreaming of becoming an opera singer. But when I was sixteen, I saw the Korean premiere of Wicked, and everything changed. I was captivated by how the singing, acting, and dancing came together on stage, and I fell in love with musical theatre. Since I had always loved dancing as well, I felt that musical theatre was a perfect fit for me. I decided to leave my dream of being an opera singer behind and pursue a new dream of becoming a musical theatre performer.

To follow that dream, I moved to the United States and was accepted into the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), where I studied musical theatre in depth. Since then, I’ve been actively performing in New York across a variety of productions, as well as participating in commercials and film projects. This coming January, I’m especially excited to be producing and performing in my own show in New York.

I also currently work as a vocal coach, which I’m incredibly passionate about. Helping students develop their voices, gain confidence on stage, and grow as performers brings me a lot of fulfillment. Being able to share my experience and skills, and to play a part in someone else’s artistic journey, is a very meaningful part of my career.

Whether I’m performing on stage or teaching in the studio, I aim to connect with people through honesty, emotion, and dedication. I hope to continue taking on new challenges and to inspire and bring joy to audiences and students alike through my work.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It might sound a bit cliché, but the most rewarding part of being an actor for me is seeing how the audience responds. There’s something so powerful about feeling a room shift emotionally and realizing that what you’re doing on stage is reaching someone. I love that acting lets me experience other people’s emotions while also sharing pieces of myself with them.
One moment I’ll never forget was when I performed at Birdland, the jazz club in New York. After the show, one of the audience who had traveled from Korea came up to me and being Korean themselves, told me how meaningful it was to see another Korean performing in New York. They said it really moved them. That simple interaction stayed with me for a long time. It reminded me that what I do isn’t just about performing, it’s about creating moments that resonate with people, sometimes in ways I don’t even expect. Those moments make everything worth it.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I believe that all forms of art, film, theatre, and musical theatre included, ultimately exist to gift people memories and emotions. I also carry unforgettable works in my own life, and those pieces have supported me or comforted me during certain moments. Sometimes it was a single small scene, a brief line from an actor, or even just a bar of music that moved me deeply and stayed with me for a long time. Those experiences are the reason I began acting in the first place, and they remain the driving force that keeps me on this path.

I think one of the most beautiful aspects of art is that there is no such thing as a “correct” answer. A work that receives harsh criticism might still become someone’s all-time favorite, while a widely beloved piece might not resonate with another person at all. In that sense, I believe art is ultimately completed in the heart of each individual audience member. That’s why my goal isn’t anything grand or dramatic, I simply want to be an actor who remains in someone’s memory for a long time. It doesn’t have to be for many people. If even one person feels comforted, encouraged, or simply happy for a moment because of my acting or singing, that alone is enough for me. Being able to offer that kind of memory feels like one of the most special responsibilities and privileges an actor can have.

To work toward that goal, I continue to learn and grow every day. I challenge myself with new roles, explore different genres, and dig deeper into my own emotions and experiences to keep expanding my artistry. I want to keep evolving, so that I can stand before audiences with greater honesty and depth. And someday, I hope to pass on the same warmth and inspiration that I once received from the works that shaped me. That is the mission that drives my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sooyeonyoon.com
• Instagram: @sooyeonyoonie

Image Credits

Chris Ruetten, Reinhardt Kenneth