Our Story
How It All Began
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas… but apparently not if it involves a seven-hour car ride and exchanging phone numbers.
2019
How We Met
We met in Vegas. Yes, really.
On July 6, 2019, Yoojin was dragged to the airport to pick up a girl he had already decided "wasn't that cute." That girl was Zoey. In hindsight, he'd like to formally apologize for that very incorrect first impression.
It was Fourth of July weekend, which meant a scenic* seven-hour drive back to LA. (*By scenic, we mean mostly traffic.)
With nothing but time, snacks, and questionable road trip music, we started talking—and somewhere between Vegas and LA, our story quietly began.
On July 6, 2019, Yoojin was dragged to the airport to pick up a girl he had already decided "wasn't that cute." That girl was Zoey. In hindsight, he'd like to formally apologize for that very incorrect first impression.
It was Fourth of July weekend, which meant a scenic* seven-hour drive back to LA. (*By scenic, we mean mostly traffic.)
With nothing but time, snacks, and questionable road trip music, we started talking—and somewhere between Vegas and LA, our story quietly began.
2019
First Date
For our first official date, we went to the Santa Monica Pier. Like any proper first date, we played carnival games, pretended we were both extremely skilled, and managed to win a few stuffed toys (which we're pretty sure were designed to be impossible to win).
To commemorate the occasion, we squeezed into one of those tiny photo booths and took a strip of photos that perfectly captured the moment: slightly awkward, very smiley, and already having way too much fun.
Years later, Yoojin still keeps that photo strip in his car… which is either very sentimental or a sign he never cleans it out.
To commemorate the occasion, we squeezed into one of those tiny photo booths and took a strip of photos that perfectly captured the moment: slightly awkward, very smiley, and already having way too much fun.
Years later, Yoojin still keeps that photo strip in his car… which is either very sentimental or a sign he never cleans it out.
2020 — 2024
A Milestone Together
We graduated from USC with our master's degrees in 2020, which means we somehow survived group projects, deadlines, and tuition at the same time. Earning those degrees felt like a huge accomplishment, and doing it side by side made it even more special.
A few years later, we made it through the pandemic together. It was a strange and challenging season for everyone, but it taught us a lot about patience, resilience, and how much quality time two people can really spend together. Thankfully, we still liked each other at the end of it.
In 2024, we bought our first home together. Between the paperwork, the decisions, and learning that "just one quick errand" for the house is never actually quick, it was a big step for us. It also marked the beginning of a new chapter as we started building a life — and a very long to-do list — together.
A few years later, we made it through the pandemic together. It was a strange and challenging season for everyone, but it taught us a lot about patience, resilience, and how much quality time two people can really spend together. Thankfully, we still liked each other at the end of it.
In 2024, we bought our first home together. Between the paperwork, the decisions, and learning that "just one quick errand" for the house is never actually quick, it was a big step for us. It also marked the beginning of a new chapter as we started building a life — and a very long to-do list — together.
DECEMBER 2024
The Proposal
In December 2024, Yoojin asked the big question in Korea in a beautifully decorated room filled with flowers and balloons. Unknown to me, he had thoughtfully planned everything with the hotel in advance. On the day we checked in, he told me he was going to "check out the hotel property," but he was actually meeting with the concierge to prepare for the proposal. Though he was visibly nervous when the moment arrived, he made it through the question, and it became one of the sweetest and most unforgettable memories of our story.
