SHOREWOOD, Wis. — Tucked away in the basement beneath Benji's Deli and Restaurant, there's a small business owner making a big impact on Korean culture.
Seon Joo So is a master of jongie-jupki, the Korean paper folding arts. She owns So Cool Crafts in Shorewood, where she carefully, and patiently, creates art from paper, both new and recycled.
After moving to Milwaukee from South Korea in 2006, she noticed young people here weren't exposed to paper arts in school like she was.
"I want to share my culture and skills with them," she said.
Some of her creations, such as ornate white swans, require 500 to 900 pieces of paper and countless hours of work.
Unlike origami, which only uses a single piece of paper, Seon says jongie-jupki has no limit, incorporating many pieces, cuts, and glue.
Seon's shop in Shorewood was born out of passion and necessity.
"That is a little different story of life. When I moved to Milwaukee, I was a student," she said.
She came to the U.S. to study for a master's degree in childhood education at UW-Milwaukee. During those years, she was also raising a son and a daughter.
"After one semester, my ex-husband [no longer wanted] to support me. So I worked in the restaurant department for UWM," said Seon.
She graduated and couldn't find a job in education. Her student visa would soon expire.
But with advanced training in paper folding — including high-level degrees earned in Korea in the 1990s — she crafted a plan to open So Cool, secure a business visa, and keep her family in the U.S.
"I cannot [speak] about that time. Lots of stress," she said.
Today, 10 years after opening her business, Seon sells and exhibits her work in Milwaukee. She's humble about her accomplishments.
"I'm using the Facebook and YouTube channels. I'm not much popular but I try my best," said Seon.
The master paper folder also teaches jongie-jupki, the Korean language, and Korean cooking to all ages around the city.
"I love to eat the Korean dishes, so I want to share this kind of culture part, too," she said.
With hard work, a store now overflowing with paper art appears to be shrinking.
But her welcome in Milwaukee is only growing.
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