Meet Hana Park | Model and Creative

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

Hi Hana, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I find that a lot of my success came from finding comfort within my own self. When I stopped comparing myself to others I could single out my own goals rather than what I believed I needed to achieve to “fit in”. I had been told all my life to model due to my height but my own self-doubt kept me from venturing into this field. I always thought that “I would never make it” or “it wouldn’t be worth it” but once I stopped worrying about what others would think I was able to take the plunge. I don’t think about how well I am doing compared to others and I find that allows me to find clarity in my own goals and appreciate my small achievements.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I was first introduced to modeling in 2019. The world was so shiny and fabulous to a beginner like me and all I could dream of was walking a show. The glamour hooked me in but the harsh reality of modeling hit me.

COVID felt like a huge roadblock. No shoots, no networking, literally no opportunity. Throughout this time I truly contemplated whether or not to continue pursuing my modeling career. The moment the world went back to normal I signed with my first agency full of hope and passion but no experience. However, the substantial fees and lack of control made me feel like I was losing sight of my goal. I couldn’t keep up and I decided to take a step away to develop myself. I worked to find opportunities for myself and take advantage of every single chance I was given. It was hard to break out of my shell and reach out to complete strangers but after many attempts and some rejections I changed my focus from getting a lot of shoots to finding truly special photographers whose work spoke to me. I reached out to these photographers to collaborate and I was able to make some long lasting friendships. These photographers believed in me and took a chance to work with a new model and I knew I had to leave a good impression. A shoot that stood out for me was when I worked with Rachael for the first time. It was such a dream for me to shoot with her and she provided such a comforting space for me to work my magic. It was exhilarating to just play around and use the wind for these beautiful shots. And with every shoot that followed Rachael and I got to experiment with different looks and watch each other grow. She has literally been there from the beginning and is such a warm supporter.

This year I branched out and worked to connect with new models and not be limited to the fashion community at my school campus. I took a chance to sign with a different agency and get more jobs. I created a collaborative to gather passionate models and creatives to help network and produce beautiful shoots. 2022 was a year full of shoot directing. I was able to collaborate with so many beautiful models, photographers, makeup artists and even brands to help bring my dream alive. My proudest moment in my career so far is landing a shoot with Range Beauty alongside my lovely friend Sefunmi. The shoot was so much fun and it was so exciting to see our work on the brand’s page!

After all my experience, Quality over Quantity, became my motto and I came to acknowledge my own worth as a model. I know the road is long and hard but I hope that other models on this journey can also find a good balance between bookings and collaborations. Modeling is a real job and I hope people can see that not all models are the same. You truly need knowledge and experience to be a good model. You are your own brand. You have to constantly put your best foot forward and be at your best shape. Without this you cannot leave a lasting impression. Being rude is not tolerated and you have to truly love modeling to be happy for others in your field. Your victory is not the only victory and with time those you have helped will come back to help you.

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?
If you come to Georgia you have to go to the Coca-Cola museum. From there you would hit the Botanical Gardens or take a nice outing to Stone Mountain. My favorite spots to eat are Asian Eats. You have to try some Korean Street Food at Dan Moo Ji, or a nice bowl of Ramen at Ponce City Market. For brunch you can grab some delicious dim sum at East Pearl. If you like meat then you can try EMBOP for an all you can eat style barbecue with different dish options as well. For dessert you can head over to Snowflake tea house for a fruit crepe or to OneZo for homemade boba with their fruit tea. Food is always the most exciting for me and you must bring ur friends to share the joy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to start off by thanking my friends for believing in me. I got into the world of modeling by following friends to their shoots and meetings. Through them I was able to meet so many beautiful souls who were so passionate and uplifting. I want to thank Kaia for getting me into the world of modeling as well as Alysse and Lauren for sticking through all the ups and downs of the industry. They were my support and still mean the world to me.

Instagram: o.hanabanana

Image Credits
Rachael Humphries Savannah Rose Josh Willoughby Isis Mayfield Rowin Hernandez