“I have a 9-to-5, a 45-minute commute, and a sheet mask on by 9 PM. That's the whole operation.”
Day job in fashion.
Side hustle
in skincare.
I'm 29, I live in Flushing, and I take the 7 train to a fashion showroom in the Garment District five days a week. At night I come home, put on a sheet mask, and write about skincare. Seoul Rite is the side project I started because I kept telling friends the same thing—“don't buy that, here's what actually works”—and figured I should just write it down.
I grew up around K-beauty before it had a hashtag. My halmeoni's vanity in Incheon was all Sulwhasoo and mystery jars with no English labels. I did two years at the Amorepacific counter at Bergdorf's, a year in Seoul at an Olive Young flagship, and came back to finish my journalism degree at NYU. Now I coordinate brand partnerships during the day and write honest reviews at my kitchen table at night.
This isn't my career plan. It's the thing I do because I genuinely care about it. I see how the hype machine works at my day job—the seeding lists, the TikTok placements—and Seoul Rite is where I say what I actually think. Sometimes that means “don't buy this.”
How I actually test
Weekday speed test, weekend ritual test
I test every product on rushed Tuesday mornings and slow Sunday mornings. If it can't survive both, I don't recommend it. Office skin under fluorescent light is a real category.
Honest negatives, always
I name my doubts. “I'm not convinced the PDRN is doing anything the niacinamide isn't already doing.” If I love something, you'll know because I describe reaching for it repeatedly—not because I use exclamation points.
Independent & Affiliate Funded
No paid placements. No sponsored mentions. I use affiliate links to keep the lights on, and I'll always tell you when a link earns me a commission. Critical posts have zero affiliate links—non-negotiable.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases when you shop through my links. Affiliate & FTC details
What I keep reaching for
“Three products that survive the 7 train, the Garment District, and a sheet-mask writing session.”
COSRX Snail 96 Mucin Essence
Snail mucin works. I don’t care if it sounds weird. This is the one I keep reaching for after every breakout cycle.
ROUND LAB Birch Juice Sunscreen
Holds up through a showroom day, a subway commute, and dinner in K-Town. No white cast, no reapply dread.
Banila Co Clean It Zero
Double cleansing is where my routine started. This balm dissolves sunscreen and city grime without stripping.