Meet Emily Lee | UX Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born in South Korea and moved to the States when I was seven. Growing up, my parents wanted to give me and my brother the best of everything, including the opportunity to travel and experience the world. I have lived in many different countries and states, which helped mold the person I am today. It has broadened my scope of adaptability and creativity skills and helped establish a goal that motivates me every day. As someone who used to resist change and depended on stability, I now consider myself an adventurer. I may worry about what lies ahead but I will never back out from a challenge.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

For the first few years, my personality was what kept me busy. I strive to be a perfectionist when it comes to work. I never took a break until my work was “acceptable” to my standards, but that sometimes came with burnouts. The bigger the problem was to solve, the more doubts I had to myself. Eventually, I realized it was because I was afraid of failure. I hated to accept that I might not always get the best results and was worried about how others perceive me.

Later I learned that what matters the most is to never lose sight of what makes work so meaningful. It enabled me to overcome burnouts, gave me confidence, and helped me stay motivated. As often as people ask me why I chose UX as my career, I always answer, “It may sound a little cheesy but I want to make the world a better place for everyone.”

Thanks to my hardworking parents, I grew up having a privileged life. My mom gave us the best of everything, but she would also consistently remind us that it didn’t come easy. The work ethic she displayed and her care inspired me to do the same. My mom never forced me to study or to get the best grade, she wanted us to have a goal and work hard towards them.

So that’s what I did. I set a goal then explored various paths to find what I was looking for. I struggled for a long time to find the meaning of a better and more beautiful world. The answer is simple. You just have to see and appreciate the small things in life because that’s what makes life everyday different. Bringing that mindset to work everyday and to the products I create is what keeps me going and busy. I want my designs to make a meaningful impact on the users’ everyday life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There’s nothing like the drive down the coast to Laguna beach. My roommate and I take a drive sometimes just to clear our minds and not worry about anything else. The drive from Irvine to Laguna, without taking the highway, is about 30 minutes and the scenery is spectacular. And a gelato is a must in Laguna!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

My life has been filled with obstacles. I’ve lost faith in myself at times; however, it is because of these obstacles that I am who I am today. I never realized how much support I had from family when I was growing up because the overwhelming circumstances blinded me from seeing it. As I became an adult, leaving home and being independent, I came to appreciate the unconditional support from family.

I never really had the chance to express my gratitude so my shoutout is to them. My brother motivated and challenged me to work harder, my mom sacrificed selflessly and worked hard to give me the life I have, and my dad taught me how to see the beauty in little things and gave me all the love I could ever ask for. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Website: wonjoolee.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/wonjoolee522

Image Credits
Portrait photography credits to Hannah Rodbell