To the Korean beauty enthusiasts, KBBQ lovers, and K-pop devotees, I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Diana Ryu and I too swear by sheet masks, eat kimchi with my pizza, and can’t stop playing Epik High’s latest album.
I’m an editor and writer working the lifestyle, beauty, health, and fashion beats in and around Los Angeles. I’ve spent the bulk of my adult life living and playing in Koreatown that boasts the largest Korean population outside of the Land of Morning Calm. That means I’ve been known to frequent karaoke bars, indulge in chicken gizzards, pork feet, and boiled octopus, and get scrub-downs at Korean spas like Conan O’Brien and Steven Yeun here:
I’ve been watching my once-humble borough go through some dramatic changes recently as Koreans and Korean-Americans like chef Roy Choi, entertainer G-Dragon, and actress Jun Ji Hyun have helped catapult our culture into the international limelight, My friends have taken up a sudden interest in the places I hang out, the foods I grew up eating, and the makeup and beauty tips and tricks my mom has passed down to me.
Soko Glam’s Charlotte Cho is a brilliant leader in the K-beauty space and I am thrilled she’s helping the world navigate the complex Korean beauty world. I’m here to help stoke the interest in Korean food, music, and beauty.
First up, a post on a traditional Korean shaved ice dessert called pat-bing-soo in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back soon.
Any questions you’d like answered or topics you’d like to see covered? Leave them for me in the comments below. I can’t wait to help illuminate the way.
Until next time,
—Diana
Diana is a Los Angeles-based writer whose work has been featured in Refinery29, Lucky Magazine, TimeOut, The Huffington Post and The Zoe Report. She most recently ghostwrote a book and (happily) spends most of her time and money on Korean beauty products and food.
