The rise of K-pop has drawn attention to Korean culture more broadly. My interest in Korean culture led me to discover Q2han, a YouTube channel by twin sisters Kyuwon and Kyujin Han. Q2han creates content from fashion and beauty to home decor, travel and daily life in South Korea. They share Korean culture with their lively personalities and high-quality videos.
The Han sisters began their YouTube journey in 2011 after graduating from California’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Majoring in business and fashion, Kyuwon and Kyujin used their design skills to film DIY clothing videos. Now in 2023, the duo has modeled for several fashion brands: Grazia, Farfetch and Burberry, attending fashion weeks in New York, Paris, Seoul and Milan.
Q2han is inspiring to watch as the twins motivate me to explore different styles and express myself through my clothing. I especially resonate with their interest in vintage fashion, bold colors and layering clothing pieces. Influenced by their content, I recently added a pair of gray faux-fur boots to my wardrobe, which will be the perfect shoe for this winter season. Q2han also introduced me to Cos handbags through their video “Paris Vlog 2023: shopping & haul, Paris outfits, food & cafe.” Though I never imagined I’d become a fan of luxury goods, the Cos Quilted Mini Bag and the Quilted Messenger Bag are now on my wish list.
Q2han’s content goes beyond fashion, though, as they share their passion for poetry, food and self-care. Their channel features readings of contemporary writers like Brianna Wiest and Charis Ed. This led me to discover Wiest's book The Pivot Year, a 365-day quote book. Similarly, Q2han’s cooking videos motivated me to make Kimbap — seaweed wraps filled with rice, egg and vegetables. I also enjoy watching their food vlogs about South Korean convenience stores and cafes.
Kyuwon and Kyujin focus on self-care by speaking about the importance of mental health and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. This year, the duo changed its posting schedule from one video a week to uploading a video every two weeks to reflect this mindset. In their vlog, “RV living in Korea (watch if you feel burned out),” the twins shared: “We felt like we needed a break; we don’t want to burn out this year — that is our goal to take care of our mental health.”
Q2han’s words remind me that I must enjoy life and walk at my own pace. This advice is something that I hope you consider — that your worth goes beyond grades and schoolwork and that you deserve to treat yourself, rest and find personal fulfillment.
I enjoy watching Q2han to increase my knowledge about fashion, food and Korean culture. Through their channel, I have discovered the value of international content as this allows me to learn more about how others experience the world. Following in Kyuwon and Kyujin’s footsteps, I hope to one day explore Korea and also develop a career in something that I am passionate about.
Next time you need inspiration or a break, check out Q2han’s video: “Korea Vlog 2023: Best 2 Days Itinerary (cherry blossoms, food & cafe)” wherein the twins explore Andong, the “peaceful land” of South Korea. Witness the beauty of the city as Kyuwon and Kyujin stay in a Hanok, a traditional Korean house, and tour the Sinsedong Mural Village, a town filled with wall paintings, sculptures and cherry blossoms.