The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2020 - Issue 27

Model Profile bite model profile Sora CHOI A s Scottish actor Robbie Coltraine once asked, “Is it just me, or is the world full of beautiful women?” to which we most heartily say yes! The fact that the global beauty and fashion industry are finally taking notice of this obvious fact is fan- tastic. As such, it has been incredible to see more diversity within the modelling world emerge during the last decade, and these indi- viduals gaining superstar status. Women (and men) of all races, shapes, and sizes are finally being highlighted and cele- brated for their indi- vidualities rather than being pigeonholed into a cookie-cutter mould. Emerging models like Sora Choi have been gracing more editorials and covers of magazines. Standing at 5’10” with a figure most of us would kill for, the very slender Choi is an Am- azon compared to the average Korean wom- an. Born in Bucheon, South Korea, she made her entrance into the modelling world rather by accident. Despite her family and friends encouraging her to mod- el, she was never truly interested in fashion. She attended Dongduk Women’s University and actually wanted to be an artist. Becoming a model was the furthest thing from her mind. “I used to love painting, so I always wanted to become an artist. I loved all forms of art, [espe- cially] painting and drawing. But if I weren’t modelling today, I’d probably be unemployed.” However, after attending a fashion show with a friend who wanted to be a model, she began to come around to the idea. She went with her friend to a local agency, YGKPlus in Seoul, and they signed her on the spot. The rest, as they say, is history. Choi began working and shooting with local Korean designers and expand- ing her portfolio. In 2012, she shot with the successful photographer Hong Janghyun for the cover of W Korea. After this, things really took off. From that moment on, Choi has had an incredibly successful and thriving career. Her international debut was in 2015 for the Louis Vuitton Cruise collection presented in Monaco. Miss Choi then signed with Ford Models in New York and Paris, Wilhelmina Models in London, and Special Management in Milan. As such, she’s been signed to walk and pose for numerous fashion designers such as Alexander Wang, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Miu Miu, Gucci, Chanel, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, and Prada. She’s also appeared in over 40 international advertising campaigns including Louis Vuitton, Coach, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Bottega Veneta, Tom Ford, Dior, and several others. In 2017, she was listed on Models.com’s Top 50 countdown. One can obviously see that her stats are what designers live to work with, making her truly a muse in the flesh. Her calm and sweet temperament not to mention extreme work dedi- cation, make her a dream to work alongside. “I’m a workaholic, so on my few days off, I always stay home and recharge in order to ready myself for the next job. Naturally that means I don’t have that many friends,” she explained to Elsa de Berker of scmp.com . “The adrenaline rush you get is the best. Only those who have walked down a catwalk will un- derstand the high.” The exhausting workload that can come with being a top model hasn’t escaped Choi, as she has faced her own degree of hardships trying to keep up with the demands of being in model form at all times. She has mentioned that her diet and physique take quite a beating while working and it’s taken a, sometimes negative, toll on her body. However, despite this, Choi has never stopped working as hard as she can. “I’m honestly surprised by my success,” she says. “That doesn’t mean that I doubt myself, but it means that I’m extra hard on myself so I can be successful. I want to do more work, all the time.” Despite her insane work schedule, Choi relocat- ed to New York and now spends as much of her downtime as possible travelling back to Korea to