Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Cracker Your Wardrobe
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Korean Model Profile: Noma Han
Today I will interview a male model.
Will he wear a shirt?
Will he be posing in strange positions?
Will he give very abstract answers?
I do not know anything about male models.
He is an international Korean model, but in his native Korea most Koreans have never heard of him.
His name is Noma Han, and he is currently very niche and very in demand in New York. I did familiarize myself with his career before meeting him today. If you type ‘Noma Han’ into google you will be flooded with hundreds of blogs, images, and critiques of a slim boy with a talent for outrageous poses.
Noma Han has walked for international fashion names such as Y-3, Duckie Brown, General Idea, and Richard Chai and he has shot for the likes of Vogue Hommes Japan, Nylon, Fiasco, and Interview magazines.
He featured in an all-star line up for last year’s United Colors of Benetton campaign, as well as a Hilfiger Denim campaign in 2010. Noma is currently a wild card success in modelling, which is impressive for a boy who was born and raised in Incheon.
I head to Sinsa Station. Noma Han is tattoed, pierced, and waiting for me. Noma is wearing a shredded denim jacket with a doll’s head peeping out of one of the front pockets. He has a neck tattoo spelling; ‘kitten’. He waves me over and introduces himself casually with a confident American accent.
Are there many Asian guys modelling internationally?
I ask Noma about whether there are many big name Asian males in modeling besides himself. Not many, it appears. In a creative industry such as fashion, with high profile models such as Naomi Campbell still championing space for non-white models, you would think that the industry is not so homogenous. Still, with a booming fashion industry in China, Korea, and Japan, the fashion industry is still getting used to working with Asian models. Noma frankly states that Europe is still apprehensive about hiring Asian models. Europe lags behind America in this area. Noma speaks bluntly about rejection upon his first trip to France when he was sent away for looking ‘Asian’. These days, however, Noma’s profile has been raised through high-profile fashion campaigns and he is shortly heading to Paris again for model castings.
How did your Korean parents react to your eight tattoos, piercings, and modeling career?
Noma’s parents seem to have gotten over his tattoos and piercings. Korean parents are usually not very open to body art! Noma’s parents were initially not supportive of his modeling plans as modelling is obviously not a common career for a Korean boy (not Samsung?! Oh dear...). However, his parents changed their minds when Noma scooped some lucrative campaigns, and started to develop his portfolio. Noma had to teach himself English when he first arrived in the US, so his parents obviously recognize the lengths he has gone to immigrate to the US for his career.
When did you get your first tattoo? What do your parents think about your tattoos/piercings?
Noma’s tattoed look has drawn some comparisons with other decorated models, namely British model/musician Joshua Beech, who is equally famous for his body art. Noma designs his own tattoos. He has eight. He pulls his shirt up and shows them like a proud parent; ‘I drew these myself'. They are his own.
I ask him about when he got his first tattoo. When Noma first moved to New York he approached a lot of different agencies but they thought he wasn’t ready for modelling. Noma even admits that he was exceedingly ‘Korean’ and shy. He was disappointed and stayed in his hotel for a few days, before getting inspired. He left his apartment, got his hair cut off and got his first tattoo inked on his chest; a cartoon image he scribbled down himself. He retook his shots, resubmitted his portfolio, and then the calls from the previous modeling agencies started to come in; ‘Yes’.
What do you think about fashion in Asia, and Seoul Fashion Week?
I attended Seoul Fall/Winter Fashion Week in March this year and I watched Noma walk in shows for Resurrection and General Idea, two of Korea’s most international brands. Noma suggests that the Asian fashion scene is still in the developing stages, and he has noticed that Seoul Fashion Week is quite serious compared to the chaos and buzz of New York and Paris Fashion weeks.
What or Who are your biggest influences? Do you enjoy communicating with your fans?
Getting on to the topic of mentors, Noma mentions Choi Bumsuk, the designer of General Idea and he describes Choi as his ‘hyoung’ 형 (older brother). Choi Bumsuk, a fellow Korean, who took his fashion label from Dongdaemun to New York, seems an apt choice for Noma.
‘I-love-Noma-Han’ blogs are popping up everywhere, and netizens in Europe and the US are compiling photo blogs dedicated to Noma. Noma enjoys speaking with his fans, particularly on facebook, and he is not freaked out at all by people making blogs about him (damn, I would be! ha). Noma is considered too edgy and anti-conservative for Korea, but outside of Korea he is already a name.
Where to find more Noma:
http://nine-heads.blogspot.com/
http://justnoma.blogspot.com/
Will he wear a shirt?
Will he be posing in strange positions?
Will he give very abstract answers?
I do not know anything about male models.
He is an international Korean model, but in his native Korea most Koreans have never heard of him.
His name is Noma Han, and he is currently very niche and very in demand in New York. I did familiarize myself with his career before meeting him today. If you type ‘Noma Han’ into google you will be flooded with hundreds of blogs, images, and critiques of a slim boy with a talent for outrageous poses.
Noma Han has walked for international fashion names such as Y-3, Duckie Brown, General Idea, and Richard Chai and he has shot for the likes of Vogue Hommes Japan, Nylon, Fiasco, and Interview magazines.
He featured in an all-star line up for last year’s United Colors of Benetton campaign, as well as a Hilfiger Denim campaign in 2010. Noma is currently a wild card success in modelling, which is impressive for a boy who was born and raised in Incheon.
I head to Sinsa Station. Noma Han is tattoed, pierced, and waiting for me. Noma is wearing a shredded denim jacket with a doll’s head peeping out of one of the front pockets. He has a neck tattoo spelling; ‘kitten’. He waves me over and introduces himself casually with a confident American accent.
Are there many Asian guys modelling internationally?
I ask Noma about whether there are many big name Asian males in modeling besides himself. Not many, it appears. In a creative industry such as fashion, with high profile models such as Naomi Campbell still championing space for non-white models, you would think that the industry is not so homogenous. Still, with a booming fashion industry in China, Korea, and Japan, the fashion industry is still getting used to working with Asian models. Noma frankly states that Europe is still apprehensive about hiring Asian models. Europe lags behind America in this area. Noma speaks bluntly about rejection upon his first trip to France when he was sent away for looking ‘Asian’. These days, however, Noma’s profile has been raised through high-profile fashion campaigns and he is shortly heading to Paris again for model castings.
How did your Korean parents react to your eight tattoos, piercings, and modeling career?
Noma’s parents seem to have gotten over his tattoos and piercings. Korean parents are usually not very open to body art! Noma’s parents were initially not supportive of his modeling plans as modelling is obviously not a common career for a Korean boy (not Samsung?! Oh dear...). However, his parents changed their minds when Noma scooped some lucrative campaigns, and started to develop his portfolio. Noma had to teach himself English when he first arrived in the US, so his parents obviously recognize the lengths he has gone to immigrate to the US for his career.
When did you get your first tattoo? What do your parents think about your tattoos/piercings?
Noma’s tattoed look has drawn some comparisons with other decorated models, namely British model/musician Joshua Beech, who is equally famous for his body art. Noma designs his own tattoos. He has eight. He pulls his shirt up and shows them like a proud parent; ‘I drew these myself'. They are his own.
I ask him about when he got his first tattoo. When Noma first moved to New York he approached a lot of different agencies but they thought he wasn’t ready for modelling. Noma even admits that he was exceedingly ‘Korean’ and shy. He was disappointed and stayed in his hotel for a few days, before getting inspired. He left his apartment, got his hair cut off and got his first tattoo inked on his chest; a cartoon image he scribbled down himself. He retook his shots, resubmitted his portfolio, and then the calls from the previous modeling agencies started to come in; ‘Yes’.
What do you think about fashion in Asia, and Seoul Fashion Week?
I attended Seoul Fall/Winter Fashion Week in March this year and I watched Noma walk in shows for Resurrection and General Idea, two of Korea’s most international brands. Noma suggests that the Asian fashion scene is still in the developing stages, and he has noticed that Seoul Fashion Week is quite serious compared to the chaos and buzz of New York and Paris Fashion weeks.
What or Who are your biggest influences? Do you enjoy communicating with your fans?
Getting on to the topic of mentors, Noma mentions Choi Bumsuk, the designer of General Idea and he describes Choi as his ‘hyoung’ 형 (older brother). Choi Bumsuk, a fellow Korean, who took his fashion label from Dongdaemun to New York, seems an apt choice for Noma.
‘I-love-Noma-Han’ blogs are popping up everywhere, and netizens in Europe and the US are compiling photo blogs dedicated to Noma. Noma enjoys speaking with his fans, particularly on facebook, and he is not freaked out at all by people making blogs about him (damn, I would be! ha). Noma is considered too edgy and anti-conservative for Korea, but outside of Korea he is already a name.
Where to find more Noma:
http://nine-heads.blogspot.com/
http://justnoma.blogspot.com/
Sunday, May 8, 2011
My Small Head
Koreans place high importance on appearance, and certain physical features are valued very highly. Surprisingly in Korea, a very sharp jaw (known as a 'V' line), is valued above the round-shape or heart-shaped face. Also, a very small face is valued above a 'large' face. I didn't understand why this was the case, until my Korean friends explained that the body is in 'better' proportion when the head is small, the body is long, and the legs are longer. So perhaps, in their minds, a large head throws out the mathematical beauty of a 'proportional' body. Interesting.
Anyway, as a foreigner in Korea, Koreans often pick out my nose or eyes as being 'different', but I noticed one time at lunch that a Korean was sneaking a sly picture of me with his iphone. I wondered why. I found out later, that he was quite shocked at 'the smallness of my head', and he sent a message to all of his coworkers to discuss this issue. Apparently this 'small head' feature is more common in foreigners, so it is prized even more highly because genetically Koreans more-often-than-not supposedly have a bigger head (I can not confirm this, this is just how Koreans convey it).
So this is what he sent around to his company;
A very curious group of coworkers curious about my head. How interesting.
Anyway, as a foreigner in Korea, Koreans often pick out my nose or eyes as being 'different', but I noticed one time at lunch that a Korean was sneaking a sly picture of me with his iphone. I wondered why. I found out later, that he was quite shocked at 'the smallness of my head', and he sent a message to all of his coworkers to discuss this issue. Apparently this 'small head' feature is more common in foreigners, so it is prized even more highly because genetically Koreans more-often-than-not supposedly have a bigger head (I can not confirm this, this is just how Koreans convey it).
So this is what he sent around to his company;
Samsung VS Apple... the FIGHT is ON !!!
Step One: Samsung sells computer chips to Apple. Apple is happy ^^ :)
Step Two: Apple develops the iphone. The iphone is a hit worldwide. Apple buys more chips from Samsung. Both are happy. ^^ :)
Step Three: Samsung is jealous. Samsung wants to make awesome smart phones too. Samsung is sad ㅠ.ㅠ :(
Step Four: Samsung decides to closely copy Apple's design. Samsung releases the 'Galaxy X' phone. Apple is angry. -.-;
Step Five: Apple decides to sue Samsung. Samsung is angry. -.-;
Step Six: Samsung think that Apple has stolen some ideas from Samsung's operating system. Everyone is angry. -.-; -.-;
Fists are out and the issue is still being decided in court right now.
Step Two: Apple develops the iphone. The iphone is a hit worldwide. Apple buys more chips from Samsung. Both are happy. ^^ :)
Step Three: Samsung is jealous. Samsung wants to make awesome smart phones too. Samsung is sad ㅠ.ㅠ :(
Step Four: Samsung decides to closely copy Apple's design. Samsung releases the 'Galaxy X' phone. Apple is angry. -.-;
Step Five: Apple decides to sue Samsung. Samsung is angry. -.-;
Step Six: Samsung think that Apple has stolen some ideas from Samsung's operating system. Everyone is angry. -.-; -.-;
Fists are out and the issue is still being decided in court right now.
Soju Inflation
Have you tried soju? Soju is a traditional Korean alcohol made from rice, and it leaves a very nasty hangover. Soju has been popular in Korea for centuries, and in South Korea it can be bought at any supermarket or convenience store for 1,300 won (korean) which is equivalent to Aust $1 (approximately). Soju is a common drink of choice for Koreans when eating in restaurants, and is particularly popular when eating Korean barbeque.
Over the years, Koreans have immigrated to many countries across the globe, and they still pine for soju in their new countries. As I am Australian, I am frequently surprised to hear about the ongoing ridiculous fixed price of soju in Sydney Korean restaurants and liquor stores. One 375 mL bottle of soju will set you back $11 in a Korean barbeque restaurant in Sydney, and $10 in a Sydney liquor store.
This is equivalent to extortion in my mind, as this price is in no way reflecting the value or import expense of the product. Who is exporting soju to Australia? They must be making a killing.
This is equivalent to extortion in my mind, as this price is in no way reflecting the value or import expense of the product. Who is exporting soju to Australia? They must be making a killing.
Upsurge in the Korean Economy
The nuclear impact on Japan is yet to be fully disclosed by the Japanese government. In the meantime, South Korea is experiencing a bitter sweet period of economic prosperity.
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