Q. What brought you to Australia, and what was your situation at the time?
I was under a lot of stress at my job in Korea. Out of frustration, I decided to get a fortune reading just for fun. The fortune told me to “go overseas,” and that message stuck with me.
I thought, “Alright, let’s give it a try.” I decided to come to Australia to learn English and gain work experience abroad. At first, I planned to stay in Noosa for just three months of language study on a student visa.
Q. How was your first experience living in Australia in Noosa?
When I first arrived in Noosa, I stayed for about a month, but the area felt too rural and isolated. I felt trapped, so I moved to Brisbane.
After spending about two months exploring opportunities in Brisbane, I found a chance to work. I then decided to come back on a working holiday visa. After a short trip back to Korea, I returned to Australia, where I’ve been living ever since.
Q. How was your first job experience in Australia?
Although I had marketing experience in Korea, I knew that my English skills wouldn’t allow me to be immediately recognized in an Australian company.
So I started working at a study abroad agency for about six months. Then COVID hit, and as the situation dragged on, I eventually couldn’t continue working. At that point, the future felt very uncertain.
Q. Why did you choose to work on a farm to get your second visa?
I seriously considered returning to Korea, but I didn’t want to give up easily.
Finding a job was extremely difficult, not just in Brisbane but across almost every city, so I decided to take the opportunity to work on a farm and qualify for a second visa.
After three months of work, I received the visa. That period was the most anxious time about my future.
Q. What led you to settle in Australia permanently after getting your permanent residency?
Originally, my occupation didn’t qualify for permanent residency. But as always, the law changed, and an opportunity came my way.
When I first consulted a migration agent, I was told that unless I changed jobs, there was no way forward. But the situation changed the following year, and I received a permanent residency offer from my company, which allowed me to secure my PR. Looking back, I feel extremely lucky.
Q. How did your career in Korea differ from working in Australia?
In Korea, I mainly worked on planning. Once the content direction was set, the production team executed it. My major was media and communication.
In Australia, I decided to do everything I could myself.
At my current company, I handle all aspects of marketing, including website creation, video production and editing, and social media management. When our video staff left, I took on tasks I hadn’t done before, and through that process, I’ve continued to learn and grow.
Q. How did you become capable of handling web, video, and content all by yourself?
When I first came to Australia, I was building a portfolio website on Wix.
I got a job from a company that contacted me while I was applying elsewhere, and they wanted me to build a WordPress site with WooCommerce. At the time, I had no experience, and it felt overwhelming.
But when they told me, “Learn on YouTube and just do it,” I dove in. That’s how I naturally learned front-end web development.
By tackling challenges head-on, more opportunities gradually came my way.
Q. What inspired you to start your personal SNS activity?
In Australian companies, you often have to follow the company’s marketing direction.
Although I knew which content would get more engagement, the company prioritized sophistication and brand direction, so I didn’t have many chances to create what I wanted.
I started SNS to experiment with my own ideas, and since starting last year, the response has been better than I expected.
Q. What are your future plans and goals?
For now, I plan to continue working at my current company.
But in the long term, I want to help people running businesses.
I want to leverage my experience in advertising agencies and my current work to support others in a way that aligns with my strengths.
Q. What advice would you give to someone new to Australia?
Achieving everything in Australia is not easy, so I hope people don’t give up on what they really want to do.
Preparation is essential—English, work experience, and a portfolio will open more opportunities. But don’t over-prepare; focus and take action quickly.
Don’t set your English expectations too high. The process of trying, failing, and learning through interviews is extremely valuable.
When I decided to move to Australia, I created my resume and portfolio in a day and applied to everything I could find—probably 100 applications a day.
Keep challenging yourself, and you will get results.
If your business ever needs help with online marketing, feel free to reach out!
