From Seoul to New York Fashion Week, one model’s path to lasting industry trust. Somin Park has spent nine consecutive years walking runways and shooting campaigns for some of the most recognized names in fashion and beauty. Her collaborations with Pamella Roland and Badgley Mischka at New York Fashion Week span nearly a decade.
By: Emma Clapp
That same consistency carries into Park’s beauty campaigns for Estée Lauder, NARS, and MAC Cosmetics. This Korean-born international fashion model has built a career on more than a striking look. Her story is one of adaptation, patience, and the kind of professional trust that takes years to earn.
The Importance of Showing Up
The fashion industry moves fast. New faces appear each season, and brands often chase the newest name rather than the most reliable one. For many models, that means a career built on short bursts of visibility rather than sustained work. Standing out long enough to matter takes consistency that brands can count on season after season.
Park’s answer has been to keep showing up. That carried her through her early years in South Korea, where her strong jawline and defined cheekbones were sometimes considered outside conventional beauty standards, and into nine years of runway and campaign work in the United States.
“Instead of trying to change those qualities, I embraced them as part of my unique identity and signature look,” Park says.
Her mother’s advice pushed her toward modeling in the first place. “You only live once, try everything you want so that you’ll never regret not trying,” she told Park, a line that stayed with her as she weighed staying in her comfort zone against pursuing something new.
That willingness to take risks led Park to New York at 28, without the built-in network she had in Korea.
“Entering one of the world’s most competitive modeling markets required patience, resilience, and a willingness to continuously grow,” she says.
Hard Work Pays Off
Nine years later, Park represented Badgley Mischka during its 35th anniversary celebration on Fox 5 New York’s Good Day New York, and she walked for Tamara Ralph’s Autumn/Winter Collection during Paris Haute Couture Week, an appearance documented by Getty Images.
Park’s beauty work spans similar ground. Her MAC Cosmetics campaign for the Lunar Luck, Wild Cherry, and Fabulous collections has appeared in the SoHo flagship windows and in retail displays across US airports. She has represented Estée Lauder’s Pure Color Lipstick line and its Re-Nutriv skincare campaign, shot on location in Paris. Moroccanoil selected her as principal talent for its Scalp Collection, and Park’s NARS imagery has appeared at Incheon International Airport in South Korea.
But one moment stands out for Park. Walking through Manhattan and seeing her own face in those SoHo windows after years spent establishing herself in a new market stayed with her.
“It reminded me that staying true to myself, embracing my individuality, and continuing to work with dedication can create opportunities beyond what I once imagined,” she explains.
Embracing Individuality
What ties her work together is repetition. Brands that book Park once tend to book her again, a pattern she sees as the clearest measure of success in an industry built on appearances. She hopes her path encourages younger models, especially Asian women, to embrace their individuality and believe “There is no single path to success.”
Looking ahead, Park plans to keep expanding into new markets while continuing the beauty and bridal work that has defined her career and building the kind of long-term relationships that have shaped her journey so far.
