Mijune Pak, owner of the popular craving-inducing blog “Follow Me Foodie,” seriously loves food. With over 9,000 Twitter followers and a huge fan base, this Vancouver native is no stranger to the success that following your passions can bring.
YHM spoke with Mijune, who’s a total sweetheart; she dished on everything from organic foods to eating live octopus (check out the video here). With her positive attitude, obvious enthusiasm for food and learning, and her educated views on life, Mijune is certainly a figure to look up to when you’re not sure how to love yourself or your current path.
Young Hot & Modern: What is “Follow Me Foodie” all about?
Mijune Pak: “Follow Me Foodie” is a restaurant, food, and travel blog. My sister inspired the blog while I was traveling in Europe, where I spent my last semester in university studying and experiencing life abroad. When my sister asked me what I was going to do with the photos I had taken of the foods, I told her I just wanted to remember what I ate!
She suggested I start a blog, and at that time, I didn’t even know what blogging was. I told her, “I don’t even read blogs!” She said, “A lot of people read blogs—you don’t read blogs.” I started posting every three days which, quickly turned into every day after about a week. I loved it. It became addicting.
YHM: What’s your favorite part of running a foodie blog?
MP: At the end of the day, I have to realize the fact that I’m able to eat and I try not to take that for granted. I’m not hungry and there are so many people in the world that are. I could say it’s traveling—that’s a perk—but the raw thing is that you’re not starving, and that’s already such a gift right there.
YHM: What has been your favorite place to visit, food-wise?
MP: Any place that I feel like I am totally out of my comfort zone and have no idea what I’m doing there. When I’m in a country I can learn, that’s really interesting for me.
YHM: How would you define the term “foodie”?
MP: For me, I think it used to be anyone who loves food and eating. The definition changes according to a person, but I think it’s someone who wants to be part of this food culture and treat it on a more personal and passionate level.
You’re doing it because you want to learn about different foods and find the best out there. It’s taking ‘loving food’ to a totally different level—it becomes more than something you just want to get full off of.
YHM: Your story is the perfect example of taking a passion and turning it into your lifestyle and career. Do you have any advice for our readers on how to do this?
MP: In the end, it’s what’s going to make me happy in the long term—that’s my definition of success. Stay persistent and find something that truly makes you happy. Work hard and keep at it and everything else will come—but nothing comes easy.
You need to put the energy and effort into it, and if you can imagine doing it for the rest of your life, that’s when you’re there. When it doesn’t feel like you’re really working, you’re there.