January 2, 2021

 




I wasn't expecting 2021 to begin with the loss of my grandmother, but I guess that's life. Always in my heart Halmunni.

Your DNA

What does empowerment mean to Soo Joo Park? “Right now to me, it means having the courage and power to lead by example by being yourself,” she says. “I was having a really good conversation days ago with a good friend of mine and saying that it was hard because I'm having an awakening moment. As good as the things are in my life, I'm mentally questioning a lot of things. He told me, you are special and there’s no one in this world who can be you. There’s not another person in this world who can match your DNA, have your thoughts when you have them, have the desires when you have them. As long as we can celebrate our individuality, our own uniqueness and specialness, I think that’s empowering more than anything. I also want to say that it’s always a process of going back and forth and I think that I've learned to accept that. All the love, pain, sadness and joy—that's part of life.”

PHOTOGRAPHED BY PETER ASH LEE WEARING CHANEL AW20 COLLECTION. 
STYLED BY ABBY QI. MAKEUP BY AYAMI NISHIMURA. HAIR BY EVANIE FAUSTO. 

 As long as we can celebrate our individuality, our own uniqueness and specialness, I think that’s empowering more than anything. I also want to say that it’s always a process of going back and forth and I think that I've learned to accept that. All the love, pain, sadness and joy—that's part of life.”

I had a lovely conversation with Kelly Lim for the WOW Magazine cover story about my career and what empowerment means in my world at the moment.

2020 Is The Element Of Surprise Of Our Lifetime / A Letter To My Past For The Present To Live

It’s a funny time we’re living in. All tender sentiments aside, I hope you’re doing okay. Things will always change and turn, but that’s the beauty of life—even the toughest and bleakest of times will yield to another sunrise, a new day, a chance to take action.

Tell me

Does it make you feel good?
Are you happy?
Can you breathe through life thinking you’ve destroyed one another?

CXXIX

The expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action: and till action, lust
Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust;
Enjoyed no sooner but despised straight;
Past reason hunted; and no sooner had,
Past reason hated, as a swallowed bait,
On purpose laid to make the taker mad.
Mad in pursuit and in possession so;
Had, having, and in quest to have extreme;
A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;
Before, a joy proposed; behind a dream.
All this the world well knows; yet none knows well
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.