We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Won Jun Seok. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Won Jun below.

Won Jun, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I have a photography project that I named “Norigae (Day & Night),” that was a representation of my transforming identity as a Korean-American immigrant, caught in between a blend of two cultures. Upon moving to the United States when I was 10, I wanted to assimilate as fast as I possibly could so as to not stick out and “fit in.” However, as I’ve grown older I realized that my lack of speaking Korean, celebrating Korean holidays, and even listening to Korean music throughout my daily life made me lose such a large chunk of my heritage and personal roots.

So, I did a project in which I utilized the “Norigae,” an accessory of the Korean traditional wear called “Hanbok,” to create my own, modern take on the Hanbok. I personally found and styled the pieces that made the all-black, suit-like Hanbok; with its loose, flowy skirt and wrapped “bow” in the front. Then, I attached the colorful Norigae onto the front of the attire that contrasted the black outfit perfectly. I found a beautiful temple that reminded me of the “Hanok” architecture from historical Korea and did a shoot with my cousin and another Korean friend as the two models: representing day and night. The photographs came out cinematic, and the shoot was a way of representing and reconciling my newfound identity as a homogenous mix of an American and as a Korean individual throughout every avenue of my life.

Won Jun, 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?

My love for photography began long before I even knew it, when my dad used to take around his DSLR everywhere we went to preserve memories of our lives. Back then, it felt like a chore and almost annoyed me how we had to take pictures together everywhere we went. But years later, when I finally looked back at my childhood photos with my family, I realized the significance of the ability to hold memories for a lifetime with such a simple act as “taking a photograph.” I became obsessed with the idea of capturing the world in single frames during college, and began my journey with analog photography. Then, my love for fashion, music, and the creative scene in the US started to draw into my photography; after which I joined a student-run fashion magazine in college to boost my career in fashion photography.

Now, I specialize in fashion editorial photography in New York as well as creative directing for branding and visuals. When my clients are unsure which direction to take their brand or what visual direction would suit their new campaigns and projects, I come into play. I’ve come to understand very personally how to highlight and elevate one’s best features and traits due to my experience moving from place to place all throughout my life, having to rebrand myself in every new place I’ve been in. My life has provided me with the ability to be unafraid of expressing myself and bringing out qualities that I’ve been too timid to do beforehand. The same goes with my advice for brands; be unafraid to share your unique quirks and qualities because that is what sets you apart from everyone else.

I hope my adaptability and ability to curate a plethora of different aesthetics with my voice still included and in each project comes across as well as I intend them to to clients and followers. I am proud of being able to have a “style” in my work and yet translate brands’ visions for their own stories to something digestible by the mass audience.

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

My main goal for my creative journey is constant, and unfaltering improvement. Not only in my art and technical skills, but also in myself as a member of society and as a leader. If there’s one message I’d like to convey to the world, it is that I’d love for people to feel unafraid to be uniquely themselves and embrace change. It is scary and uncomfortable to go through big changes, but through those changes is where we grow the most. There are growing pains, of course, but the result is an even more polished version of yourself that you never thought you could achieve. I constantly strive to better myself and become more and more effective at telling stories through my photographs, that people could relate to and be influenced by. I don’t want to settle on a “style” but rather, continue to explore different mediums and aesthetics to find new ways to express the core of who I am.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Non-creatives have my utmost respect with their ability to follow routines and live a stable lifestyle. However, no amount of financial stability or comfortable lifestyles could convince me away from using my creativity to express myself. It sounds cliché, and of course the goal is to create a stable life for myself with art and photography as a means to achieve that, but if it takes months, or even years, of living paycheck-to-paycheck, project-by-project, I will do that to successfully create art that inspires and communicates my essence. And the reason for that is that I hate limitations. I absolutely detest confining myself to boundaries and living the way society views is “ideal.” Plus, it’s just pure fun to make art and meet other creative minded individuals who strive to show the world who they really are, or can be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wonjunseok.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wonjunseok
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wonjunseok