I've always been a curious kid, never content to stay in one place. I loved seeking out new challenges and adventures. Growing up in South Korea, one of the few countries where military service is mandatory, I decided that if I had to serve, I wanted to take a different, more challenging path. So, even though I had an acceptance letter from a few prestigious universities, I chose to enter the Air Force Academy, a lesser-known but highly specialized institution.

The Air Force Academy trains future Air Force officers. Like any other university, we studied our majors and were graded each semester, but we also underwent various special training programs. These included parachute jumps and maritime infiltration exercises using unpowered boats. After graduating from the academy, I served as an Air Force officer for five years, eventually retiring as a captain at the age of 29.

My twenties were filled with tough training, which made me appreciate the preciousness of life and the importance of my loved ones. I learned firsthand how crucial it is to live with a proactive and self-driven mindset.

As I was nearing the end of my military service, I realized I had a strong interest in business. However, I felt I lacked the experience and skills to start something on my own. So, I decided to begin this chapter of my life at a small company with a diverse business portfolio.

(It wasn't a huge company, just a "small" one with about 100,000 employees all over the world.)

My role there was to explore and develop new overseas markets and generate revenue from them. This job led to some truly amazing experiences. I traveled to places like Ireland, UAE, Turkey, Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Chile for business trips. Along the way, I met and collaborated with thousands of entrepreneurs, learning how to grow and sustain businesses together.

Then, one day, I found myself facing burnout. As part of the company, I had worked incredibly hard and brought in significant profits, but I realized I wanted to spend time on something for myself.

One day, while quietly sipping coffee, I remembered that ever since I was a kid, I always carried a camera wherever I went (mostly my dad's camera back then). The thought crossed my mind, “Why not give photography a real shot?”

That decision brought me to where I am today.

Now, I work as a professional photographer. My job isn't about defending the country as a soldier or traveling the world and racking up millions of miles as a businessman. Instead, I capture beautiful and sincere memories for people, and that's always a valuable thing. I truly love what I do.