Year of birth: 1990
Profession:
- Owner of RGBdog
- Lecturer at ArtEZ University of the Arts, Arnhem
- Master's student at the Netherlands Film Academy, Amsterdam
Place of residence: The Hague
I am a creative and autonomous artist from South Korea, who considers art as a way of life. Around the age of 18, I went to art school in Seoul, where I had a teacher who gave me immense motivation to step out into the wider world instead of sticking to traditions. After a lot of travelling, working and studying, I finally ended up in The Hague, where I continued my studies at the Art Academy. Something i would've never thought growing up in Seoul as a young girl.
For me, life is an ongoing study. I am always trying to make connections and understand how certain people, emotions and fields work. I teach at the art academy in Arnhem (ArtEZ University of Arts), pursue another master's degree in film myself at the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam and work in my own design and technology studio, RGBdog, where we research accessible and ethical technology, among other things. It is a place where I can try things out and discover, a place where I constantly try to develop myself.
I also see Wing Chun as an opportunity to learn, to master new skills and integrate them into my way of life. My profession is mainly sedentary and I noticed more and more that I was so absorbed in my head that I forgot about my body. I was getting aches and pains everywhere and wanted to do something about it. Having done Taekwondo in the past, I started looking for something new in that direction. During my search, I first came across MMA, but the images I saw didn't feel like something that suited me. I didn't want to fight so much as I wanted to learn a discipline to make my body stronger and learn to control it better. Moreover, I wanted to exercise at a place where I am part of a community and where I can develop in a safe environment. That's how I ended up at WuDae. I signed up for a trial class and immediately noticed that this is the nice atmosphere I was looking for. This is a place where people can feel at ease and that is mainly because of the way the teachers teach. They are patient and helpful, which makes them very pleasant and good teachers.
I really like the way everyone at WuDae trains for themselves but with each other. Everyone has their own goal and is working towards it. It doesn't matter whether you are more advanced or just starting out, everyone helps each other and the atmosphere is friendly. Coming to train here makes me feel more deeply rooted in the local community. You get to know people from very different environments, people with different interests and areas of expertise. Personally, I really enjoy that. In my work, I am mostly surrounded by creative people. That is precisely why I appreciate meeting people from all kinds of backgrounds at WuDae - it makes training extra enriching.
The continuation of the interview with Soyun will soon be available here!
Text and photos by: Robine Hillen
Get mentally and physically stronger... sign up here now for a free trial class! We are open 6 days a week. There are more than 20 Wing Chun classes a week (in the morning, evening & weekend), in our own school, centrally located in The Hague. The personal attention you receive enables you to work at achieving a strong, healthy and fit body and mind, at your own level of experience. Click here for more information.