Life & Work with Emily Lee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Lee.

Emily, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Emily (Wonjoo) Lee. I recently graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in UX Design and Graphic Design. After college, I now work as a UX Interaction Designer at a medical technology company.

I was born in South Korea and moved to the States when I was seven, that’s when I became Emily. Growing up, my parents wanted to give me and my brother the best of everything, including the opportunity to travel and experience the world. Having the opportunity to live and travel in many countries and states at a young age helped mold the person I am today, as well as broadened my scope of adaptability and creativity skills and helped establish a goal that motivates me every day.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being honest with myself was the greatest challenge for me. 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 perceived me.

I learned my senior year of college that everyone’s definition and standard of success differ. And obstacles don’t mean failure but just a need for a quick break to reassure and find what is needed.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As often as people ask me why I chose UX as my career, I always answer, “simply just to make the world a better place.”

I have always disliked my name Wonjoo, a name I felt ashamed of as a child because I thought it sounded ugly and funny. Plus, none of my friends had a unique name like that. I had to ask my mom several times to change my name but she refused every time saying “No! Your name is beautiful.”

Korean parents name their children with a unique combination of Chinese letters. My name, Won, stands for “beauty” and Joo stands for “to live.” My entire life I was told to have a beautiful life just like the fairy tales I read. Although it took a while, now I know what they meant by “to have a beautiful life.”

Few years ago, I was diagnosed with a lifelong disease. I took over a year off of school to get treatments, which was a lot. It felt like my world was collapsing. Looking back, I can’t help but to think about how privileged I was to receive so much love and support.

Despite having everything I needed, the overwhelming situation blinded me from seeing them. For a long time, I struggled 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 every day different. From experience, that begins with having good health, which is what I work for and motivates me every day.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters 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 I got older, leaving home and being independent, I became more appreciative of the unconditional support from family and friends. My mom deserves a special mention. I never had the chance to express my gratitude and love for her selflessness and hard work. Without her, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wonjoolee.com