Today’s influencers represent a sea change in celebrity culture. Instead of actors and sports figures gaining clout first, then cashing in with endorsements, a new generation of social media stars—and no, that doesn’t just mean Gen Z—are using an interesting lifestyle and a must-engage social feed to build an audience, find a voice, and even earn a living all in real time. Today’s influencers aren’t just trendsetters, reflecting our culture back at us—they’re on their way to being power brokers, shaping the society in which we live. The new wave has reached NoVA, and we’ve gathered together the local social savants putting their stamps on our region and beyond.
We spoke to content creator, photographer, and digital influencer Min Jung Kwon. She dishes on everything from fashion and beauty to lifestyle and family.
Instagram and TikTok handle: @minkishstyle
Website: surelymercy.com
City: Clifton
Followers: 30,910 (Instagram); 2,544 (TikTok)
On Instagram since: 2013, though she started posting more actively in 2015
Getting started: “I created the Instagram account while interning at Stella McCartney in NYC. All my colleagues used the app. I didn’t think much of it, but when I got hired as a director of a fashion startup in 2015, I began to take it seriously. One of my tasks was to recruit influencers to promote our app. I was shocked to find out [some] made an average of $50,000 for ONE post. That blew my mind, and I thought, You know what? I’m becoming one myself.”
Why she does it: “I do it for da money! LOL, just kidding. I do it for many reasons, and one of them is showing myself, sharing my life, and using it as a communication channel. It’s also a creative outlet to express myself—especially when I’m staying home with three kids under 4. And I want to influence my followers with my fashion and beauty, life hacks, and, eventually, spirituality. I’d be so thankful if I can have a positive impact on just one person.”
Biggest posts ever: “Off the top of my head, they were a Google Home video product launch and a post that got me on Women’s Dong-A, one of the major women’s magazines in Korea. The story covered bloggers in NYC.”
Favorite feedback: “I asked which photo out of 10 my followers liked best, and one said, ‘1 and 4, and 2 and 7, and 3 and 9, and 5 and 8, and 6 and 10.’”
Weirdest feedback: “I made a review video on Enzyme Peel Powder Cleanser by Amorepacific, and a viewer said, ‘You need to turn off the water; it’s annoying.’”
Future goals: “My short-term goal is to reach 50,000 followers and experience what that’s like. One of my wishes is to be invited to Milan Fashion Week with all expenses paid! In the long term, I want to become a spiritual influencer; I recently posted a fundraiser to provide basic necessities to the poorest tribe in Nepal.”
On “living” off-camera: “I don’t. Not because I need to create content, but because I can’t miss any of the precious moments of our kids.”
What she won’t share: “I’m a pretty transparent person, and I’m usually not ashamed of sharing. I don’t try to stage everything to show perfection. I like to show reality.”
Why her followers care: “I think it started out as fashion inspiration and to see my life in NYC, but now it’s more that they’re attached to me and they like to see what I post.”
The free loot: “I only accept or request what I like and need. Some of the more memorable items are a Google laptop, Nest, and phone, and my baby’s Uppababy stroller. I can’t even name them all. I think my entire wedding on Fifth Avenue was by sponsorship.”
Most memorable collaboration: “In 2015, I did a post with Coca-Cola. It was the first posting that got me paid. It was only $20, but I couldn’t believe that I could make money from taking pictures. Another important one was when a company donated a meal to Feeding America every time I got a like on that post.”
Cultural awareness: “I use Korean in my posts, so I’m sure my followers are getting a ton of exposure to the language. But I definitely try to cover the traditions, holidays, and the food.”
Her new online retail shop: “Surely Mercy launched in November and is a children’s clothing store that carries brands from South Korea. Whenever I dress my kids in Korean clothes, we get so many compliments. These clothes have amazing designs, and their quality is great compared to the price. With all the recent hype for the culture—BTS, Parasite, Squid Game, K-beauty—I’m hoping to become the go-to destination for K-fashion.”
Top NoVA spot: “Cafein in Chantilly: It offers the same quality coffee that I used to get in New York, which is très, très important to me.”
Feature image courtesy Min Jung Kwon
A version of this story originally appeared in the January issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
