By Honorary Reporter Jovana Svedic from Serbia
Photos = Jovana Svedic

Sunnu Rebecca Choi, an award-winning Korean Canadian illustrator and printmaker, on July 7 held a masterclass during Ilustrofest in Belgrade, Serbia, at the Belgrade Fortress and won the award for Best Illustration in a Magazine. 

Anita Lazic, the festival's director and organizer, said "Choi is an exceptional illustrator not just in a technical sense but also as a thinker. Her illustrations are conceptual, extremely powerful and filled with symbolism." 

The following are excerpts from an interview with Choi on July 7. 

Sunnu Rebecca Choi holds a Q&A session after her masterclass.

As a Korean Canadian, how much does your cultural heritage affect your work?

My cultural heritage greatly influences my work. I moved to Canada at age 14, so while I'm 100% Korean at heart and speak Korean at home, I've spent 25 years in the West, namely Canada, the U.S. and U.K. This blend of experiences shapes my artwork, often reflecting themes of searching for home and longing for what I miss. My work is a mix of Korean and Canadian cultures enriched by my life's experiences.

Why did you pursue an artistic career? Was it inspiration or a childhood dream?

Both. I was always interested in art so I studied fashion design and later illustration and printmaking. I never planned to make a living from it until my divorce prompted me to read "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. A quote about everyone having a purpose inspired me to become an illustrator, sharing my experiences and views through my art.

The Ilustrofest catalog features Choi's work on the cover.

How do you balance artistic integrity with appeal to a broad audience?

When I started, I tended to get upset if I didn't get many Instagram followers or likes. But what I've learned is that you don't have to please everyone. I'll just be true to myself, and then people who like my work will like whatever I do.

Is there a medium that you want to incorporate into your work?

I haven't tried woodblock prints, which I really want to incorporate into my artistic process. As a printmaker, I mostly do etching but can't combine it with a minor commercial illustration because of how long the process takes, not to mention cost. So I'm doing illustrations and printmaking separately. I'm still struggling to find an affordable way of printmaking and incorporating it into my regular commercial work.

Any last message for fellow creatives?

From my own experience as an ethnic minority, there was a time when I tended to deny my identity to fit into Western society, though I wasn't necessarily ashamed of my Korean heritage. As a minority, I had to work harder for approval, and most of the time, I didn't even know whom I wanted to impress. 

But I learned that you have to accept and love who you are. As creatives, our mission is to express our thoughts and feelings, share them with others and celebrate our cultural identities.

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.