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My Latest Posts
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- The Life I Didn’t ChooseI could’ve gone to Italy. Instead, I chose Hawaii, thanks to a family plan that never actually happened! Funny how life works. Years later, I’m discovering that the roads we didn’t take can teach us something about gratitude for the ones we did.
- What Are You Carrying That You No Longer NeedI traveled through Japan and South Korea for 12 days with just one backpack. Along the way, I began thinking about the things we carry through life that don’t fit inside a suitcase. Our worries, fears, disappointments, and expectations can weigh on us without our even realizing it. What would happen if we learned to surrender some of those burdens to God?
- I Never Thought I Could LeadWho knew a simple “What if?” could turn into twenty volunteers, thousands of Korean flags, and a whole lot of organizing? Certainly not me! Here’s how two BTS fan projects helped me discover that I could lead a team, even when I was figuring things out along the way.
- The People Who StayThink about all the people you’ve encountered over the years. Some remain acquaintances, while others become close friends for a period of time. Sometimes friendship develops naturally, through shared experiences, conversation, trust, and the willingness to stay connected.
- Quiet Time Series – Loved First: When Compassion Meets BoundariesA personal Christian reflection on 1 John 4:19, exploring compassion, generosity, healthy boundaries, and how to love others with wisdom and grace.
- Stranded in FukuokaI was supposed to be flying to Seoul with my friends. Instead, they boarded the plane and I got stranded in Fukuoka with missing paperwork, limited Japanese and absolutely no idea what I was doing. 😭 Somehow, one unexpected night, a helpful stranger and a first-class plot twist taught me that getting lost doesn’t always mean you’re going the wrong way.
- Screen Time With a PurposeScreen-time reports can make us feel guilty before we even consider how that time was spent. For me, YouTube currently takes up the largest portion of my digital life, but it has also become a space where I create, learn, experiment, and expand my blog into video. This post explores intentional technology use, creative discipline, digital boundaries, and the difference between consuming content and building something meaningful.
- Faith While I’m Still Figuring It OutI trust God. I’d also appreciate an itinerary. A candid look at busy calendars, unfinished dreams, and learning to pray before I have everything figured out.
- A Smile Can Take You PlacesWho knew making friends abroad could start with something as simple as a smile? No cheesy pickup lines, no awkward networking, and definitely no friendship application forms. Just a little curiosity, a few good questions, and an open mind. Here’s how I’ve learned to connect with people while traveling.
- My Life Is Not Waiting to BeginI went to church, designed a logo during part of the sermon, spent nearly three hours laughing with girlfriends, finished my homework, returned to Procreate and somehow ended up thinking about midlife crises, single women and whether any of us are actually “behind.” Just a normal Sunday. 😅 Maybe the problem isn’t that our lives haven’t gone according to plan. Maybe we’ve been using the wrong measuring stick.
- What Overpacking Taught Me About Carrying Too MuchWatching a friend struggle with an overpacked carry-on in San Francisco made me think about the weight of “just in case.” Sometimes the things we carry are not necessities at all, but delayed decisions, fears, and possibilities we were afraid to leave behind.
- Direct the Ship, Don’t Carry ItSome things need your leadership. Some need your hands. Some need someone else’s hands. And some need to be surrendered entirely. An ordinary Wednesday reminded me that maturity may have less to do with becoming capable of carrying more—and more to do with becoming wiser about what I carry.
- When 20,000 Korean Flags Rose at SoFi StadiumWhat began as one idea became weeks of fundraising, printing, planning, and volunteer coordination. Then, on September 5, thousands of Korean flags rose across SoFi Stadium as BTS and ARMY sang “Arirang” together.
- When ARIRANG RisesA fan project for BTS for LA Day 3 organized by BTS ARMY Los Angeles:
- BTS Is Korean. Start There. | Understanding BTS Beyond a Western LensBTS may belong to a global audience, but they did not become culturally neutral when they became famous. To understand BTS more deeply, we have to recognize the Korean history, language, values, and cultural context that shaped them without reducing seven individual men to stereotypes.
- When Love Becomes LogisticsIt started with an idea borrowed from Stanford ARMY: raise thousands of Korean flags during Arirang. But somewhere between printing quotes, spreadsheets, volunteers, fundraising, and stadium logistics, I realized we were building something much larger than a fan project. We were watching love become organization.
- Quiet Time Series: The Body Never Clocks OutIt started with a plate of quinoa, lentils, tofu, vegetables, and meat. I wondered what the food would actually do inside my body, and that simple question opened the door to something much bigger: cells, digestion, skin, stewardship, and the astonishing factory that never clocks out.
- The Body Keeps the DeadlineI woke up late and rushed to work, feeling like I was in a negotiation with time. Work was steady, but it drained me. I thought about Jackie, the bald eagle queen of Big Bear, who passed away two days before. She was a regal and stubborn presence, and her stillness felt like a benediction.
- When the Kite Came DownA simple phone call from my seven-year-old niece in New Zealand became an unexpected reminder of childhood, freedom, faith, and the moments we often miss while being busy adults. Watching her run through a field flying a kite brought me back to summers when I made my own—and reminded me that perhaps growing older doesn’t mean we have to stop looking up.
- Single, Free, and Not WaitingMy sister sent me an article about men and women, and it made me wonder why I’m so comfortable being single. I love my freedom, but how much of that independence is preference, and how much was shaped by the past?
- The Friendship Behind MeI was standing in line at the American Music Awards, scrolling on my phone, when I heard Japanese behind me. I turned around, started a conversation about BTS, and met someone who would later show me her favorite neighborhood in Tokyo. Sometimes the best travel stories begin when we stop staring at a screen and look at the people around us.
- What Does Lonely Actually Mean?Is being alone the same as being lonely? Explore a thoughtful, faith-centered reflection on loneliness, belonging, friendship, and what it truly means to feel connected.
- Quiet Time Series: More Than Showing UpBeing present allows us to experience what others have created. Participation allows us to become part of creating it. This reflection explores how even one person’s contribution can strengthen a project, deepen belonging, and benefit an entire community.
- Why Kagurazaka Became My Favorite Tokyo NeighborhoodOn my final day in Japan, a friend who had lived in Kagurazaka for 25 years showed me the neighborhood she loved. Between creamy salmon ramen, quiet temples, small shops, and hidden streets, I discovered a side of Tokyo that felt unexpectedly like home.
- The Bus Full of ARMYs: My Last-Minute BTS Detour in BusanOn my second-to-last day in Busan, I changed my plans to visit the Nike by BTS pop-up at Millac the Market. Full buses, no reservation, and a concert deadline turned a quick shopping trip into an unforgettable ARMY story.
- Made and RemadeAre we born a certain way, or does life turn us into who we become? I believe the answer is both. Our experiences shape us, but who we already are affects how we carry them, interpret them, and grow through them. Add faith, healing, and choice, and the story becomes far more interesting.
- Give Me Wings: Why I’d Choose a Pegasus for a WeekIf I could become any animal for one week, I would skip the ordinary choices and become a Pegasus. I want wings, no airport lines, and enough time to see the world from above without falling out of the sky.
- One Day Too LateI arrived at Tokyo’s Calvin Klein flagship just one day after Jungkook’s visit. What felt like a missed opportunity became an unexpected lesson about gratitude, God’s timing, and appreciating the life we’re actually living.
- It Wasn’t the Request. It Was How She Asked.A routine flight to Tokyo became an unexpected lesson in human connection. When a stranger asked me to switch seats so she could sit beside her boyfriend, I eventually agreed. Yet what lingered long after the flight wasn’t the request itself—it was the way it was made. This personal reflection explores courtesy, consideration, and why small everyday interactions often reveal the deepest truths about kindness.
- Quiet Time Series: Simply Showing UpSometimes the most meaningful days aren’t filled with extraordinary moments—they’re filled with ordinary ones lived with intention. From wrapping a birthday gift and editing a video reel to reconnecting with friends and meeting a fellow solo traveler, this reflection explores how showing up fully can transform everyday experiences into lasting memories.
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