A Room of One's Own

A Room of One's Own is an intimate talk series set in a bedroom. Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s book A Room of One’s Own.

Growing up in Los Angeles, what was your childhood like?

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with LA for a long time, but now I’m very grateful to have been brought up here. Growing up, I was always trying to separate myself from this city, but I realize what a tremendous influence it had on my work and, of course, me as a person.

Are there any early memories or encounters that shaped your personality and creative work?

I’m drawn to mystery and secrets, always have been, and LA is the perfect place to hide and delve into your fantasies. It’s a naturally solitary place, and being bored alone, especially as a teenager, definitely fueled my imagination and made me want to create.

In terms of personal encounters, I would have to choose my darkroom teacher from high school. I spenta lotof time in there because he’d just let me hang out whenever, even during school assembly and things like that, haha. I’d just be making prints and talking to him for hours. He’s the first person who gave me real confidence about my photo work.

LA is the perfect place to hide and delve into your fantasies. It’s a naturally solitary place, and being bored alone, especially as a teenager, definitely fueled my imagination and made me want to create.

You’ve recently moved to Seoul and are now based in LA. How has living here influenced your journey as a photographer, and how has it changed your perspective on work and personal life?

My base is LA, but I started spending more time in Seoul in 2021 when my family moved back. I was just visiting and then happened to book a shoot for the first time over there. I was struck by the professionalism on set.

Not saying that Americans are unprofessional, but everyone is so hardworking and committed in Korea, it’s next-level. It was definitely inspiring, especially when it comes to work ethic, and I needed that push. Plus being close to family, extended family and my roots, is a special kind of comfort.

Creatively, it made me want to dig deeper into traditional Korean culture and history, especially artifacts. I’m currently working on trilingual / tri-cultural (English, Korean, Japanese) magazine — it’s my big project of the year, and I cover some of that in there. I think I’ll be hopping between these three cities — LA, Seoul, and Tokyo — for a bit.

I feel like the cultural divide is less stark today. Big cities—whether it is Seoul, Tokyo, or LA—feel more similar than different to me.

You've lived in Korea. How did you navigate your dual identities—growing up in the US and now immersing yourself in Korean/Japanese culture?

My family was always back and forth between Korea and the States, so I would say I spent significant time immersing myself in both cultures and quite enjoyed my dual identity.

Growing up, I liked having my “secrets” in both places where the other side cannot access, only me, though the secrets themselves are pretty tame. It’s much harder to have secrets now with social media and stuff.

To be honest, I feel like the cultural divide is less stark today. Big cities—whether it is Seoul, Tokyo, or LA—feel more similar than different to me. Of course, cultural differences and traditions still exist, but you go to any downtown now and you’ll see the same lineup of stores. Trends tend to circulate the globe. And there’s always someone in town that I know from another city, wherever I am.

But there’s a lot more “seamless” cultural exchange that’s happening now between the east and west and that’s cool. It’s part of the reason why I decided to start the magazine, to weave together these worlds through a common language that is art, and more largely, a desire for connection.

What inspired you to pursue photography? You’ve also done modelling before - how did you find the two roles between the camera, and do they overlap creatively?

I’ve been taking photos as a hobby since high school and the professional part just happened kind of naturally later in college. I studied media studies and filmmaking at university and thought I’d pursue something in the film industry upon graduation. I was PA’ing for a bit and liked it, but photo jobs were picking up simultaneously and became a full-time thing.

As for modeling, I’ve done a little here and there but never took it seriously. Projects like these, where I’m in control of the creative process, don’t feel like “modeling” to me. I’m quite comfortable in front of the camera; I just like being in control.

Sheer Cardigan in Charcoal Grey

How do you use photography to tell personal or cultural stories? What aspects of a subject or view are you most drawn to in photography?

I’m drawn to reflections, naturally distorted ones in particular; they’re a fixture in my work. The most fascinating thing about photography is the element of truth and reality that you can play around with. All of my photos are autobiographical; they’re reflections of my inner self and lived experience, whether I like it or not.

Can you describe your creative process? What inspires you in the spaces you inhabit or the people you capture?

It always starts with an idea or feeling that I’m going through at the moment. I let it marinate until I’m able to tie it to a visual element, and it kind of goes from there.

Jenn wears Straight Lounge Pants in White

and Sheer Cardigan in Charcoal Grey

How would you describe your personal fashion style in your day-to-day life?

Comfortable yet flattering! Fit and material matter the most.

Your work requires a lot of travel—are there any routines or rituals you consider non-negotiable, no matter where you are?

Everything hygiene-related.

Sheer Cardigan Charcoal Grey

Sheer Mini Dress in Silver Grey

All of my photos are autobiographical; they’re reflections of my inner self and lived experience, whether I like it or not.

What does “home” mean to you as someone who has lived in different cities and frequently travels?

This question becomes harder and harder to answer as I get older. To put it shortly, at least for now, I guess it’s more of a state of mind to me than a place.

What’s on your current movie or reading list?

My friend told me to check out Kei Fujiwara’s films, and her work and life seems very interesting. So I’ll be watching those. As for new releases, I’ve been wanting to see Babygirl for a while.

Can you tell me more about your upcoming book project?

I have two (three if counting my magazine)!

LIVE IN TOKYO is a collaboration with French artist Christophe Brunnquell, I shot the series in Tokyo last summer. It involves masks and the images are strange, surreal, funny, and slightly erotic in a way. I’m very happy with it.

We’ll have a signing event at the end of April in Tokyo. Around the time of the launch, I also have a zine coming out, which is very different from the book. It’s called Tale of Two Sisters, and it’s a fashion zine project that I shot in Seoul. It’s inspired by the Korean horror folktale, Janghwa Hongryeon, and I shot and arranged it like a mini-movie. I'm equally excited for both projects to come out.