Creatives // Kinda Cool (Ah-Young 아영): YouTuber

I first discovered Ah-Young's channel (Kinda Cool, links below) through mutual followings on Instagram and I quickly became hooked. Her unique personality and retro 90's aesthetic really shines through onto her videos, creating an addictive world of her own that I really enjoy watching. I had already been watching other Korean YouTubers but Kinda Cool stood out to me in a way that none of them have and I am very pleased to be able to share with you her story and the creative process behind her channel. Enjoy!


Edit and words: Rachel Loh
Pictures and video: Kinda Cool (Ah-Young/아영)

Kinda Cool Instagram, YouTube channel

Please introduce yourself!

Hi, people! I go by Kinda Cool which is the name of my youtube channel as well, and I’m a girl who is living in Seoul, South Korea and my name is Ah- Young (아영). I’ve been kind of a cheerful, laid-back, enthusiastic about what I like, lazy about I don’t feel like kind of person for the last 27 years. Recently I've become a YouTube creator who is eager to not only get inspired, but also to give some inspiration in real life by being a cool friend to my subscribers for the last 4 months. Thank you for having me here. 

When did you first dream of starting off creatively?

Creativity is sort of a gold that I always dig for. My YouTube channel is where I can get gold and express what I feel when digging for gold. I’m not sure exactly when, but when watching videos ,especially fashion films and travel videos, I couldn’t help myself from figuring out how to film, edit, think and express creatively. 

What triggered you to start your own YouTube channel? Was there something you wanted to convey to others?

Simply put, after I felt that there was something on my mind (#2 question), my friend Ashley (예슬) told me that I would suit being a Youtuber. At that moment, I really took it to my heart because she was a friend who I rely on, especially when it comes to career journeys. This is literally how I made my mind to become a YouTube creator! I don’t have a specific thing that I want to convey to others but let me put it in this way - I would be very happy if people who watch my videos feel better, inspired, connected or feel a strong sense of belonging even if in just a little bit because I too feel that way when I watch some videos. 

Which area of your country. neighbourhood or Seoul do you find most inspiring?

There are so many great places in South Korea, but I would say Samcheong- dong (Jong-ro) if someone asks me the most inspiring place in Seoul. There are not only traditional structures such as Hanok, but also modern places like Seoul Museum of Art in the neighbourhood. 

We're curious to hear what the final goal is of Kinda Cool!

My final goal as a Youtube creator ‘Kinda Cool’ is to keep creating kinda cool videos for a long time which can make the daily lives of you and I super cool. (Ah, I wish my English was super cool.) I just want to give cool vibes to those who watch my video. That’s all I pursue on Youtube as well as in my real life. 

Lastly, what do you wish more people knew about YouTubers?

As far as I know, Youtubers are sensitive, but not fragile. I believe most creators really don’t consider Youtube as one of hobbies or kind of let-out. It’s far more than that and we feel attached to our own channel, videos and subscribers.

Creating videos is to literally stand in front of a camera and talk about something, but at the same time we also have to put a lot of thought, effort, time and money into every single video. It’s not about how hard it is but how precious and priceless it is.

So, simply put, what I want people to understand more about Youtubers is that we are willing to consider about what subscribers say. Even though we are outside, we sit down and talk to a camera and that becomes a kind of connector to the world where we try to share about ourselves and chat with you. 

Creatives aims to feature artists and/or creatives to garner a deeper appreciation for the work they do and to share their stories so that they may further inspire others. If you are interested in being featured or contributing to Willow, please write to willowmagazine [at] outlook.com