Sayart.net
Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com
Jenny So is a 1.5-generation Korean-American who was a successful real estate developer in Beverly Hills, USA. She was born in 1970 in Seoul, Korea. In 1991 she majored in finance from California State University, USA.
Since 2003, she has written a legend in the real estate industry, running Evergreen JHS Development and Evergreen JHS management LTD, a real estate developer in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, USA.
Recently, she has been immersed in a new field. What caught her attention was contemporary art. Especially Korean art. She became interested in Korean art when she had more free time due to her COVID-19. She thought that K-Culture was widely known around the world, but Korean art was not. Eventually, she decided to establish a gallery in the United States to promote Korean artists.
Her determination led to the opening of the Scott & Jae Gallery of Beverly Hills in 2022 in Beverly Hills, the center of contemporary art. In the same year, her older brother and his wife supported her by opening the Helen & Jae Gallery of Seoul in Samcheong-dong, South Korea.
“I wanted to share my thoughts with my older brother and his wife who are well versed in the art. In particular, I wanted to create a unique link between the United States and South Korea through art. Through this, I wanted to support talented Korean artists and share the positive power that I gained through the art work of many people,” she said.
In fact, she has a deep knowledge of art. For over 10 years, she has been collecting the works of prominent artists.
“I wondered why it was so hard to see Korean artists’ work in the US,” she said. After much deliberation, she decided to return the fruits of her own success to her society. Because of social responsibility.
“I hope that my image of being a good influencer can set a good example for society,” she said.
The reason she chose a Korean artist is because she thought Koreans have excellent aesthetic abilities and artistic sensibility. Another reason is her love for her homeland. “I hope that artists from my hometown will go out on a bigger stage through me.” she added.
The Scott & J Gallery, is run by Jenny So, treats artists under exceptional conditions. It costs a lot for Korean artists to hold an exhibition at her gallery in Beverly Hills. Air transportation costs, installation costs of works, various processing costs, etc. These economic problems always get artists into trouble. Knowing this reason well, she always opens her exhibitions on exceptional conditions to Korean artists who open her exhibitions in her own gallery.
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| ▲ A collector from Washington, D.C. And the dean and professor of history at Claremont University visited the Scott & Jae Gallery. Courtesy of National Anchor |
“I want to give back to society by nurturing talented people,” she said.
The fact that she has succeeded as a real estate magnate in her area is that she does her best with her good attitude in everything she does. She had been helping her own business partners in good faith during her US financial crisis around 2008. She devotedly helped him for a year to get him out of trouble as he suffered from the sub-prime mortgage crisis.
Her relationship with her like this brought her great fortune. She worked on a project with a Jewish developer who was introduced to her through him, and she was able to get a development permit from the state of California. From then on, she was able to become a big player in the real estate industry, able to do other state government jobs.
This result is due to the 'good deeds' she was taught by her mother from her childhood. She is known not only for her good deeds, but also for doing her best. “There’s nothing impossible under the sky, said Seekspeare. I have always remembered these words in order to be recognized in American society. There were many difficult moments, but I always believed in myself and did my best.”
She, who is making an impact on American society with her good business, has now started the globalization of Korean art.
