Fashion is a form of expression. You could even say it’s a part of one’s identity. With that said, sadly, I have been expressing, for the past few weeks, that I am a frumpy mess. Yes, I have been wearing sweats for the last—I don’t know how many days… I thought I could get away with blaming midterms, but alas, upon seeing Jin Soo Park, I’ve realized, I have only myself to blame.
Jin Soo is street meets hip-hop meets avant-garde meets metro meets bling bling. How does he stay so fabulously yet effortlessly stylish even during this time of midterm frenzy? Well, if I knew, I would be interviewing myself for this week’s Campus Celebrity.
Hometown: Seoul, Korea
Family: 15-year-old brother
Major: Business/Econ
How would you describe yourself?
JSP: I think my personality actually depends on what language I’m speaking. When I’m speaking in English, I become kind of shy and quiet, whereas in Korean, I’d say I’m really outgoing and funny. But either way, I think excitement is an important part of who I am. I’m not afraid to take risks. I’m always looking for something inspiring and exciting. I don’t handle boredom very well.
How do you decide what to wear?
JSP: I don’t really have a system. I just wear whatever I feel like wearing. I like buying things that are different, things that are interesting to me. Because most of what I own is pretty unusual, my outfits always end up being super unusual.
What/who is your source of inspiration?
JSP: I think people inspire me the most. Back home, I have a lot of friends who are in bands. And here, I have a lot of B-boy friends. Although the two styles are very different, I’m somehow inspired by both. But, it’s not always what people wear, it’s also things like how they move that inspire me. Oh, and when I was in Shanghai last summer, I went to a lot of clubs. What people wore to clubs was obviously very different from what people wore to…say, school. It was really inspiring to see this very distinct ‘club style.’ I love seeing the different ways different people dress, which is probably why I’m always inspired when I travel.
Favorite article of clothing?
JSP: I’m obsessed with shoes—all kinds of shoes. I’m really into collecting shoes.
Most prized possession?
JSP: I have this sick Dior Homme leather jacket.
What’s your biggest passion?
JSP: Definitely dance. I feel like only when I’m dancing I’m truly myself. I feel like there’s a part of me that can only be expressed through dance. I’ve realized that this is especially the case here in the States, because I often feel stifled by the language barrier. And dance is also a way I release stress. When I’m dancing, I’m free from all the pressure I get from school.
What’s your biggest fear?
JSP: Haha, I know this is probably not what you were going for, but my biggest fear is my mom.
What do you do during your free time?
JSP: I really like listening to music. I like to look up songs that are really different and interesting. I even search for indie songs in different countries. I basically listen to all kinds of songs regardless of their genre or language.
What’s your dream job?
JSP: I think ultimately I want to be a writer. I want to write non-fiction stories—like memoirs. But that’s for when I’m old and retired. When I’m younger, I want to own a business. I’m not quite sure what kind of business, though. But, basically, I want to make a lot of money. I honestly just want to be able to do whatever the hell I want and have as much fun as I can while I’m still young. Haha.
Jin Soo in a business suit?! I’d kill to see how he’s going to jazz that up!!