Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published March 13, 2020.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I was born in Busan, South Korea and was adopted at 4.5 months old into a family from Fairport. Rochester is home and I love it.

What is your favorite part of living in Rochester?

My family is here, so that’s a big part of it. I was adopted into a big Italian family, and my grandma once told me that if I ever moved away, she’d disown me. I think she was kidding! I love that you can be at a winery, a restaurant in the city, or a farm out in the country within an hour’s drive. For someone who gets easily bored with scenery, it’s perfect.

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

Amazing Grains Bakery is well...amazing. We go there a lot. Everything you put in your mouth is like heaven shining down on you. The Corner Bookstore is another one--a tiny used bookstore that a lot of people don’t know about. They carry tons of used books in great condition. Every time I go there, I walk out with something.

What's the most unique or interesting event you've attended in Rochester?

I really love Canal Days and the Fairport Music Festival. The music festival is for a good cause, Golisano Children’s Hospital. It’s been really cool to watch that grow right in my hometown. It’s a good excuse to listen to music and get together in the summer.

If you have $100 and two hours to kill in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time?

I’d go to Owl House for brunch, then either Living Roots for wine or a coffee shop, depending on my mood. I’d wrap up by visiting the Planetarium.

What's your favorite thing to eat in Rochester that's not a garbage plate? 

The Owl House breakfast sandwich! We keep them, Red Fern, and Nosh in rotation. It’s nice to see more vegan options popping up in Rochester slowly but surely.

What's your personal coping mechanism for cold/gray weather. 

I love the winter, it’s one of the reasons I’m here! It gives me an excuse to hermit inside my house, read, write, and work on projects. Finding places to move your body and get warm, like spinning and yoga, really help. Winter is my favorite season.

What makes Rochester unique? 

The fact that you can be in so many different types of geography within an hour’s drive. I honestly think the energy of Rochester is very unique. It has a sense of home that even people who aren’t from here feel too. You don’t get that with a lot of cities. People from all over make Rochester home very quickly. It’s welcoming.

What would you like to see change in Rochester? 

I’d love more focus on diversity and cultural education. I really dream of a time when anyone from any background and any walk of life can feel comfortable and at home in our city and suburbs. I don’t think we’re quite there yet. 

If Rochester was a yoga pose, what would it be? 

I don't think it can be summed up in one pose. It would be a sequence of poses because it's made up of so many different pieces, stories, and people. It's changing and evolving in each moment just like a yoga practice.

Tell me about your business, Charisma Yoga Bar. What inspired you to start it?

I started practicing yoga about 15 years ago; I went into my first class with no direction and just wanted to try something new. After practicing consistently for a month or so, life started feeling lighter. Everything felt better and that’s what I needed! Since my early 20s, I had dreamed of opening a studio. I went to college and grad school and did all the things, but one day I was driving through the village of Fairport in February 2017 and passed a vacant storefront, and something clicked in my mind. I texted my husband and said, “We’re opening a yoga studio” and he replied “Okay, let’s do it."

Within two weeks we had a business plan and within two months we were open! Everyone was looking at me like I had 12 heads. I wanted to create a space where people would walk through the door and feel at home. Right off the bat, we created a super noncompetitive environment. Our marketing efforts are all just us being goofy, not intimidating. 

The people who attend classes range in age from 21 to 70, and they’re all friends! They go out to coffee afterwards. It’s a group of kindhearted people coming together to lift each other up while cultivating a sense of love within themselves. I truly believe that if people weave yoga into their everyday life, not just the physical practice of the poses, the world would be a more peaceful and loving place.

What advice would you give to up and coming business owners in Rochester? 

If something’s been on your heart that you’ve been wanting to do, I think you should just go for it. I’m a firm believer that we’re in this lifetime for a reason. For most of us, the reason is not to sit at a job that you despise. Put more trust in yourself and a little more trust in the universe and watch the magic unfold. You’ve gotta befriend the fear.