She went to South Korea as a tourist and was then granted the opportunity to stay as a model. It's a dream come true for Luna, a 21-year-old who recently moved to South Korea. Luna works as a model in South Korea and thus has an E6 visa. In addition to modeling, Luna spends a lot of time exploring the country. She's doing this by going out often, making new friends, and having a relationship with a South Korean boy. In this story, Luna will talk about the major differences as well as some culture shocks. This is Luna's new life in South Korea.
The 21-year-old from Eindhoven, a city that's in the southern part of the Netherlands, is currently working as a model in South Korea. The Asian country has grown in popularity, and many people wish to live there. This country has been popular among our generation for nearly a decade, whether it's typical Korean street food or popular K-Pop boy bands that top the Billboard 200. Is there something that this country does not have? They have K-Beauty, K-Pop, and K-Fashion, each with their own unique traits. Since then, the famous "10 step skincare routine" has taken over the world, and there are fantastic, Korean skin products on the market. For most people, it's exciting to try new things and experiment with new looks, for example. South Korea has developed its own unique style. Luna works as a model here on an E6 visa, which has some limitations. Luna, for example, is not permitted to take on additional work that is unrelated to modelling, performing, singing, or DJing. Luna's visa is sponsored by her management, and the E stands for Entertainment.
Japan
After participating in an exchange there, Luna says she no longer has the same desire to work in Japan because of how challenging finding work there is. Luna moved to the small Japanese town of Fukuoka when she was sixteen. She went there to learn the Japanese language and thus attended school. She lived with a Japanese host family and learned everything she could about the daily life in Japan. "Although it was difficult at times, it was a fantastic experience."For this reason, I suggest that everyone should take a year off and travel somewhere entirely unrelated to the Netherlands. You get out of your own bubble and learn how to truly be independent," Luna says. If you want to learn more about Luna's time in Japan, check out the article linked below.
Luna visited South Korea twice as a tourist and quickly made friends with models. "They always told me that finding modelling work in South Korea was simple, but I wasn't completely convinced. Despite this, my friends were confident in my ability to succeed. Furthermore, I have always considered South Korea to be a beautiful and culturally rich country. Besides that, I found the Korean language simpler to learn compared to the Japanese language," Luna says. Luna visited South Korea on a tourist visa in the spring of 2022. She stayed there for three months, while also continuing to find a good modelling agency. She had plenty of friends in the industry, which made things go more fluidly.'Those friends set up a job interview for me, and that's how I ended up at the same agency. After the interview, I had a bad feeling and immediately decided to look for a new place'. Luna received a message the next day informing her that she had been offered a contract. "They apparently saw my Instagram page and liked my image. So the interview was just a meeting, because they already knew that they wanted me.'
Culture shocks
Both the Netherlands and South Korea have their own set of standards and values. When it comes to food, communication, and certain systems, South Korea is special. Luna is a Dutch girl living in South Korea and has noticed several differences. 'I think the biggest difference is the hierarchy, which is very important in South Korea. When you go out to dinner with coworkers or people you don't know, you wait to eat until the oldest or most important person (think CEO) takes their first bite'. South Koreans are delicate to hierarchy and status, which is why it is important to adhere to the rules. Another manner in South Korea is to bow when greeting someone. You say: annyeong haseyo. If you want something, you don't raise your hand in a small restaurant. Then you either say “저기요“ (over here!) or “사장님“ (boss, if older people work). However, there is commonly a button that you press in order for someone to come to you.
Life in South Korea
"My social life is much better here," Luna said. In South Korea, you will also meet people from other countries who have come to this country with the same purpose. Consider modelling, exchange projects, business trips, and schooling. Luna is social and enjoys going out, which helps her to meet new people every day. 'I also never have to stand in line for a club because I know everyone and can simply walk in'. Luna also got to know someone special, her current partner. ' My typical day involves waking up my boyfriend so that he can go to work'. Every weekend, this couple goes out on dates to keep the sparks alive.
Luna works as a model in South Korea and is occasionally approached for work. "My goal is to get more work in different sectors, and that could include work in the music industry." Some of my friends once worked on a music video for a K-Pop band. My friends occasionally appear in advertisements or K-Drama series, or they are people I know well. Luna aspires to work in the dance and music industries in the future.
Luna was also recently given the opportunity to model at a fashion show in Busan, a city in South Korea's southeast. "I was flown in from Seoul at 8 a.m. and arrived in Busan at 10 a.m. to rehearse. I've worked on Monday through Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday was all about practising, getting ready, and frequently waiting. I put on a wig while everyone else went to the hairstylist. I had to wait all this time. Later that evening, I went to a beautiful beach. The day of the fashion show was hectic because of several small alterations. 'I didn't know what to do five minutes before I had to go on stage. I felt very uncomfortable because of the painful heels I was wearing, so I thought it didn't look good at all. When I saw the photos from the shoot, I instantly changed my mind. I was incredibly happy with myself. It was a stressful task, but I thoroughly enjoyed it'.
