Meet Lee Suan | contents creator, Visualizer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lee Suan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi lee, why did you pursue a creative career?
My childhood had a big influence. I spent a lot of time alone and often felt like I wasn’t being protected from the world. I had a thoroughly lonely childhood. During that time, what was beside me wasn’t family or friends, but media. Music, videos, animations—these works instilled in me fantasies that I couldn’t dream of in reality. I watched TV every day, observing the world and finding comfort. Media was the only teacher and refuge that introduced me to a new world. I was exposed to Korean pop from the age of 4 or 5. The cool and beautiful people on those small stages fascinated me more than cartoons did, as they were real, relatable, and admirable artists.

The most significant moment in my life was when I first watched Britney Spears’ Live from Las Vegas 2001 performance video at the age of 10. It was a world I had never seen before, and it was nothing short of shocking. Up until then, I hadn’t been much influenced by American culture. As I watched it repeatedly, questions began to arise. Who are those dancers? Why was the stage designed that way? How was the styling coordinated? How was the stage setup done like that? I became curious about the behind-the-scenes aspects. I think I became captivated by the world of dreams and fantasies created by someone else and started dreaming that dream myself. I wanted to convey the shock, admiration, emotion, and comfort I had felt to others as well. It might sound funny, but I also had a vague confidence that I could do it well.

My dream of becoming a visualizer has never changed since then. Ten years ago, the role of a ‘visualizer’ wasn’t even recognized as a profession in Korea. While pondering how to forge a path that no one had walked before, I started by taking on tasks that I was good at and could do right away. I started with photography, then moved on to planning, learning video production, and gradually familiarizing myself with new media. Along the way, I’ve been building my own world.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a content creator and visualizer. The lines between these jobs are blurry. It’s not easy to say exactly what I do, but in general, I create stories and bring them to life through images. The lack of clear categories makes it challenging, but also very exciting. My career in these fields is still a work in progress. Every day is a challenge, a struggle with myself, and there are more moments of failure than success. To not be defeated by failure, you need the power of positivity. When I feel like giving up, I imagine what I can learn from the experience to overcome it. I believe you can learn more from failure. In this journey, I think it’s most important to believe in yourself and to know yourself well. You need to understand what you want to do and what values you hold in life. Above all, believe that you can do it. Have the courage to move forward. Only you can create your own path.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think I would take my friends to a city I know well, which is Seoul, where I live. I want to show them the lives of Seoul people because they are really interesting and fun. Everyone here is very passionate. They wake up early to exercise, work all day, and then drink all night.

In the early morning, I would take them to the Han River for a run. Running is very popular in Seoul these days, and I want them to experience the feeling of running along the Han River. After the run, we’d grab a coffee and head to a subway station to watch people going to work. I’d love to just stand there with my friends and watch everyone rushing off to somewhere.

During the day, I would take them to places that have an old Seoul vibe, like Jongno and Euljiro. These neighborhoods are charming mixes of the old and the new, with things you can only see in Seoul.

At night, I’d take them to Itaewon, my favorite neighborhood. It’s the place where the most diverse races and cultures come together naturally, and it feels like the safest place because there’s no discrimination. It’s also where you can best experience Seoul’s night culture. In areas like Hannam-dong, Haebangchon, and Gyeongridan-gil, you’ll see people who were rushing around in the morning now enjoying themselves and being full of energy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friends and the colleagues I worked with at NUDAKE. The fact that I can do this work and have become this kind of person is thanks to my friends. My friends and I often say to each other, ‘You made me who I am.’ Through them, I learned what I lacked, and I discovered my strengths. Because we all had similar dreams, we understood each other’s situations better than anyone else, and when difficulties arose, we would find solutions together. I wouldn’t have come this far if I had been alone; it’s thanks to them that I’ve made it this far.

Secondly, I owe a lot to the colleagues I worked with at the brand ‘NUDAKE.’ I was part of a team with friends who had clear strengths in fashion, 3D, video, etc. I could feel the passion and sincerity each person had for their respective fields. We complemented each other’s weaknesses and shared our knowledge, realizing that moving forward together as a team meant there was nothing to fear. I worked at NUDAKE for five years, and during that time, I learned that the attitude with which you approach work is more important than any skill. Although I’ve left the brand now, they remain the colleagues and friends I love the most in the world.

Website: https://leesuan.format.com/

Instagram: https://suan.kr

Image Credits
all photos by me.