Beautiful in Seoul was originally created in October of 2020 by Kizzy Kuhn. At the time, Kizzy was preparing for the presentation of her masters’ graduate thesis at Korea University  in the midst of a global pandemic. Under the prospect of graduating during one of the darkest times in modern history, she felt her outlook on life in Seoul change drastically.

The bustling streets of Seoul, once full of opportunity, were now completely empty. As someone who had hoped to remain in Seoul, but needed a working visa to do so, it felt as if the possibility of a future here was slipping away. 

And so, she opened an instagram account under the username beautifulinseoul in order to capture the last of her fleeting moments in the city she once loved. In doing so, it sparked hope in continuing through daily life.

What seemed like an impossibility became a reality. Kizzy managed to find employment and continued to live in Seoul, but not without difficulties.

Working in a foreign language, as well as often being the only foreigner and woman in the room brings daily challenges. And so, the need for Beautiful in Seoul continued.