I’m Jennifer, a 23 year old whose life revolves around her cats, cheese and gin.

I was born in Korea and came over to England when I was 6 years old, however, before anyone asks, I’m not a very good half Korean as I have no recollection of anything about the Korean language. I then travelled up north to study architecture at Newcastle University when I was 18 and never looked back!

I’ve been with TTM Management since May 2018 and the brand I work with the most are Creatures of XIX, but I’ve also worked for Disturbia, Longsands and Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre.

Throughout university, I worked at Wagamama part time. Once I graduated, I became full time and was promoted to a manager. I was there for 5 years of my life, so please, if you ever need help with the menu, you know who to ask. I now work as a project co-ordinator for Sleeky, a web design company based just around the back of the Metrocentre. On the side, I run Betts Pets, a business where you can get your pets drawn up and put on a t-shirt, mugs, tote bags, you name it!

What does it mean to be a part of The Beautiful North Campaign:

I really do feel honoured to have been a part of this campaign. I never thought I would ever get in a position where I had the chance of participating in something like this.

I’ve struggled with mental health in the past and I have my fair share of scars to show for it. After years of telling myself I wasn’t worth the effort, a community to accept me so readily and show me that the past doesn’t matter means the world to me.

You are more than your scars, your past, your insecurities. That’s what this campaign means to me.

Why are you proud to be from The North:

Aside from the fact that the North East is quite possibly the friendliest place I’ve ever been in the UK, I’m not sure how you can’t be proud of the city where there’s always a Greggs in sight.

Fun fact about me:

I never thought about how I would act when I saw someone that I knew on the TV, until Ross Noble came in to Wagamama and I proceeded to just gawp at him silently whilst he was asking for a menu for an uncomfortable length of time. When I did manage to speak, I somehow ended the conversation with Cascada – Every Time We Touch and I will never get that part of my life back. Mortifying.

VIEW JENNIFER’S PROFILE