I was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. And I would be proud to say I’m fresh off the boat—although I'm not as fresh as I used to be anymore! I lived in Seoul until my mid-twenties, and went to study abroad in the UK, where my journey began. I graduated from the University of Arts London with a BA in Illustration, then moved to New York City, where I earned an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. I’ve been here for 11 years now, based in Brooklyn and going about my life as an illustrator, artist, muralist and educator.  My art has always been driven by a curiosity about how people connect. I was very shy growing up, so I never knew how best to communicate with those around me. But drawing people — observing them, and learning about them — that’s my way of connecting. Art, after all, has no language barrier. I’ve been collaborating with various clients across many platforms all over the world — creating illustrations for brands, magazines, public murals and packaging. My belief is that anything warm and cheerful is contagious.