Hey everyone, it’s Julie Young for Korean American Story and Not Your Average
We are somewhere in Tribeca today
and I am with David Yi of Very Good Light
So tell me the mission behind Very Good Light
What inspired you, why now
Yeah, so Very Good Light is a Gen-Z and young millennial-based publication
It’s about grooming and men’s beauty,
but we see these two subjects as a funnel to redefine masculinity
and also to redefine men’s beauty standards
I felt like there were no publications that empowered young men
who felt like they weren’t hyper masculine,
or they weren’t, you know, super macho
and they weren’t part of the GQ or Esquire crowd
And I knew that men’s make up and men’s beauty was gonna be huge in 2017
and men’s beauty was always a big thing for me because, you know,
growing up in a Korean household it was all about skincare
And so that led me to Very Good Light
and, you know, Very Good Light it’s
it means many different things to many people, but
to me, we’re all looking for that “very good light” for selfies
And that “swipe left” filter on Snapchat (for those who still use Snapchat)
makes your skin look dewy
But what is we didn’t need Snapchat?
What if we didn’t need the elements for us to get that very good light
because we have that confidence from within?
And that we loved ourselves so much
that wherever we go, and whoever takes the photo
will always take a good photo because
we’re always confident and we love ourselves that much
One of the reasons why I love your work is,
besides the fact that you’re such a good writer, you’re so funny,
and entertaining, and you’re just on-point with what you’re covering,
you’re not afraid to be political
Both in your Twitter, you know fine, but also from Mashable
you had an article I think about a small Black Lives Matter protest during Fashion Week
I mean that- who else is doing that, you know?
I mean, I remember that morning
My friend, Rachel Johnson, who was the first ever NBA stylist
so she does Lebron, and NFL’s like Victor Cruz,
“Hey, I’m doing this Black Lives Matter march and protest for Fashion Week,
and we can really make a difference. Do you want to come join?”
And I was like, “Yes! And I want to write about it”
For me, you know, fashion wasn’t always about clothing
And fashion is never just about how you look
Fashion to me is transformative
And fashion to me is political, and it’s always been political, and
I’m glad that I was able to tell those important stories because
you know, yes, we can see fashion as being
a frivolous profession, or a frivolous industry,
but at the same time, we can also see fashion as being something beautiful
and something that can really open people’s minds and perspectives
And it was always just so important for me to do the right thing
and be on the right side of history
And to march with my brothers and sisters of Black Lives Matter Movement
was such a powerful moment
And I think that we really did make a statement
that everyone heard
And it was just really empowering to watch, and to experience, and to hear their stories
So what story that you’ve done has been the most touching to you,
most inspiring? Was it the transgender teen story?
Yes, I think it was the transgender teen story, but also
I wrote a story at Mashable about black men dressing up in America
to feel like they’re protecting themselves
They’re more dapper if they wear Gucci and Ferragamo-
maybe the police won’t target them as much
So fashion to them was armor
And I think that was really impactful
I wanted to do something for us, our people,
so I wrote a story about Asian Americans in Hollywood really making a difference
So it was like Constance Wu, and Margaret Cho, and Ken Jeong, and Awkwafina
We did an original styled-photoshoot, and video, and a story
just celebrating their lives and who they were
and you know, the struggles they faced,
but how they are breaking that bamboo ceiling
But I really think that anything to do with, you know,
outliers of culture, and people who need stories to be told,
that’s what I really want to do
I want to continue doing these big, bold stories
and go where no one else is going,
and, you know, do this full time and be able to survive the next year or so
or longer- hopefully
Oh you’re gonna do it, I can tell you’re gonna do it
Okay, last questions- my last two questions
What is something that nobody knows about you?
Wow, what is something that no one knows about me…
I’m really, really disgustingly lazy on my time off- like, so disgusting
Um, like this past weekend after Fashion Week
I just sat on my little sofa, I was eating disgusting food all by myself
balancing like my coke on my belly,
and I was just like, ‘Okay no one’s watching me I’m just gonna be my ratchet self’
What’s something that everyone knows?
What everyone knows about me…
First of all, does everyone know who I am?
I mean, who’s everyone? My parents?
I think everyone knows that I’m passionate
And if I am gonna do something, I’m gonna go all in
I am the worst poker player because of that
I’m like, ‘I’m just gonna go all in’ and I lose everything
But that’s just how my career has always been
If I don’t believe in something I’m not gonna go, you know, do it
If I really want something, I feel like I’ll always get it
Because I’m tenacious, and because I’m persistent,
but more so because I’m passionate
That’s amazing
And of course we all know that you take the best selfies
Do I?
Cause I only have one angle
I have one angle y’all
Alright, you gotta tell me the secret when we’re done
But David thank you so much, you were so great
And peace out