Real Talk with a Working Holiday Maker & International Student
Q. Could you briefly introduce yourself? When did you come to Brisbane and what brought you here?
Iโm Sol Choi, and this is my 8th year living in Australia. I originally planned to study abroad to attend a university overseas. A friend of mine was studying in Brisbane at the time and kept telling me, โThis place is great โ people are kind and itโs so easy to live here.โ I was drawn to that and, after considering several countries, I chose Australia. I came here first on a Working Holiday visa.
When I arrived, I only had enough money for four months. I came determined: โIโll earn money, pay for my tuition, and continue studying on my own.โ I worked in a cafรฉ during the day and attended language school at night. It was a hectic routine. My English wasnโt strong, and everything was unfamiliar, but I adapted bit by bit.
Eventually, I used the money I saved to study Graphic Design at TAFE. I hadnโt studied design in Korea, but learning it here helped me discover a clear career path. Over the year, I worked on real projects and realized, โThis is what I truly love doing.โ
While studying at TAFE, I kept working part-time. I worked at four or five different cafรฉs, Korean restaurants, Korean supermarkets โ basically, I tried everything I could. Through these varied jobs, I gained experience and adapted more quickly to local life and culture.
Q. What does a typical day in Brisbane look like for you now?
These days, I spend most weekdays working as a graphic designer. My day starts with a team meeting, then I move on to design tasks and responding to revision requests. It gets hectic when deadlines pile up, but seeing my designs applied to real products makes it all worthwhile.
After work, I enjoy drumming or spending time with my dog. Drumming is a completely different world from my job, and itโs a great way to relieve stress. Hearing a compliment from my instructor can completely erase the fatigue of the day. On weekends, Iโm also preparing a small design agency with a friend, which is an exciting new challenge.
๐ Website: achievestudio.com.au
Q. Do you have any favourite cafรฉs or walking spots?
I love brunch, so I often visit cafรฉs in the West End. My favourite is โBlackstarโ. It doesnโt have a fancy interior, but the food and coffee are amazing. Their green bowl, eggs benedict, hash browns, and chilli scrambled eggs always make my mouth water just thinking about them. The coffee is smooth and not too acidic โ I keep going back.
For walks, I love strolling along the Brisbane River. Watching the sunset reflect off the water makes me think, โWow, I really live in Australia.โ These small moments are what make life here truly special.
Q. Whatโs your favourite thing about living in Brisbane?
The best thing about Brisbane is how relaxed it is. Cities like Sydney or Melbourne are much bigger and more vibrant, but people there often feel rushed and intense. Brisbane, on the other hand, is full of kind people and has a slower pace of life โ it puts me at ease. I think Iโve become more laid-back myself because of it.
Also, working various part-time jobs helped me improve my English and gain real-world experience thatโs been valuable for my career. Itโs a great city for growing both personally and professionally.
Q. What made you start your YouTube channel?
At first, it was just for fun with a friend โ we thought it would be a nice way to document our Working Holiday life and look back on it later. But once I started making videos, I became more interested. Creating videos helped me reflect on my life and made me realize that they might even help others too.
Q. What kind of content do you usually post?
I mostly share daily life as a working holiday maker in Brisbane, including cafรฉ jobs and local food spots. Sometimes, I talk about the process of preparing for the Working Holiday visa or my experiences working as a graphic designer. Since I learned everything firsthand, my videos often resonate with people on a similar path.
Q. When have you felt most rewarded through YouTube?
Itโs when I read the comments. When someone says, โThanks to you, I had the courage to come to Australia,โ or โYour videos really helped me prepare for my Working Holiday,โ it makes me feel so proud. Just knowing my personal journey is giving someone else courage โ thatโs incredibly fulfilling.
Q. How did you get started in graphic design?
I studied Graphic Design at TAFE for a year and built up a portfolio. Before applying for my current position, I spent over six months working on my portfolio and practiced interviews intensively. I even recorded myself on video to rehearse answers and build my confidence in English.
Initially, speaking English in interviews was daunting, but after a few tries, I realized the questions were quite similar. From that point on, it became easier and I gained confidence.
Q. How is working in Australia different from Korea?
Australian teams are more relaxed and open. In our marketing team of 20โ30 people, everyone shares ideas freely. Thereโs less formality compared to Korea โ real ideas and outcomes matter more than procedures. This work style suits me very well.
Q. Any memorable episodes from work?
There was a time when I was assigned 250 label designs by myself at my current company. It was a huge task โ even two people would have struggled. But I managed to finish it and deliver everything on time. I received high praise during my performance review. That was one of the most rewarding moments of my career so far.
Q. Any advice for future Working Holiday makers?
I recommend starting with a job at a Korean cafรฉ. It helps you get used to menus, terminology, and customer service โ which makes transitioning to local cafรฉs or restaurants much easier. Jumping straight into an English-speaking workplace without preparation can be overwhelming.
Also, if you get an interview, make sure to study the cafรฉโs menu and marketing points through their website โ it really helps. Thatโs how I landed most of my jobs.
Q. Is there anything you wish youโd known earlier?
The resume and interview process isnโt that hard. Whatโs more important is understanding what the employer is looking for and clearly explaining why you want to work there. I realized later that being positive and confident plays a big part in getting hired.
Q. What are your future goals?
My career goal is to become a senior graphic designer. I also want to travel more and continue making YouTube videos to share my experiences with a wider audience. If my story can give someone courage, that would be the most meaningful reward.
I also want to challenge myself to level up as a designer and build a stronger, more professional career.
๐ฅ YouTube Channel: Brie ๋ธ๋ฆฌ
๐ www.youtube.com/@solbrie
