The beauty of Seoul: a city in bloom

Your weekly breath of fresh air

my intimate diary…
This week in Seoul was all about celebration, with Frieze and Kiaf bringing vibrant energy to the city. Every day, I found myself invited to a new event—parties, receptions, you name it. This is my favorite time of year to explore Seoul. The weather is cooling as fall settles in, and people are back from their summer holidays. The city feels alive with possibility, the perfect way to kick off the second half of the year. Art has been a cornerstone of my life since birth. My love for it was passed down by my grandparents and parents, who always honored artists and their craft. To me, art is a bridge connecting culture, history, and society. In truth, everyone is an artist in their own way. This week, people from all over the world flew into Seoul to experience Art Week, and it was inspiring to see the future of South Korea taking shape before my eyes. The city is truly in bloom, and right now, all eyes are on Korea. I had countless conversations with people, but the ones that stayed with me the most were with taxi drivers. One story, in particular, left a deep impression. A woman driving her taxi shared her life story with me. As I listened, I couldn’t help but think—she is an artist of her own life. Despite the hardships she faced, she radiated contentment because she’s able to work and be respected by her children. That conversation stayed with me all week, reminding me of the quiet strength that so many people carry within them…

This week, I focused on cultivating my io-leadership through the ONA method by:

ORGANIZE
^{STRENGTH
Networking: i love connecting with new people
EMOTION
Excitement: for the future
ESSENCE
Listening others
DEVELOPMENT
Less judging, more accepting}

NOURISH
^{SPIRIT
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” - Proverbs 13:20
MIND
“My negotiation motto is this: I never request, I recruit…working towards the same goal. Negotiation is not a battle. It is simply steering and if we lead with curiosity about ourselves and about others we won’t just create great deals. We will create good relationships along the way.” - Alex Carter
BODY
When my week gets chaotic, I make sure to set aside time each day to visit a cafe and read.}

AUTHENTICITY
One of my favorite artists is Kim Yun Shin, whom I’ve known through my mother, as they are very close friends. She also had her atelier in Buenos Aires, near where we worked, so I’ve been able to follow her journey closely. She is someone who truly followed her passion. She left Paris and moved to Buenos Aires simply because she fell in love with the trees there. Her artwork is a reflection of her authentic self.
Artists, in many ways, represent the highest expression of authenticity, creating from the most intimate parts of themselves. Watching her progress and rise to global fame has been deeply emotional. She continues to refine her art and her life, day by day. I admire her immensely and always learn something new from her. Her work, like her, is one of a kind.

p.s.: unlike celebrities, an artist is the same in a photo as they are in real life—genuine and recognizable, without a filter…

I hope you can lead authentically and inspire profoundly, have a great week!

Best,

Stephanie.