THE FACES

What Would Ky Wilson do?

When the salon owner found himself in hospital, he knew he had to make some major changes. This is how he tried to find the right balance between life and work…

Throughout my career, I’ve gone hell for leather in everything that I do, with no stone left unturned. However, I noticed signs with previous mentors that the lifestyle I was searching for, and had become addicted to, simply wasn’t sustainable. When burning out becomes a regular thing, it’s evident that some things need to change. After being hospitalised due to my lifestyle, it was a hard-hitting reminder that I needed to try harder to find balance and shift my focus to make these changes happen. Over the years, I’ve put systems in place to help me strive to be the best, but obviously, it wasn’t good enough and my body was inflamed. Saying no to more and booking downtime to do things that regulate my nervous system and bring my adrenaline levels down has been a huge focus for me this past year.

Because of health complications, and after 10 incredible years, I closed the door of The Social and opened a new base called District, a little closer to home, for my wife and I to look after our clients and create content for brands that I love, while searching for that elusive work-life balance. Becoming teetotal, which I’m now one year into, meditating, yoga and breath work, cold water therapy, journalling, sleep, diet, and selling my salon have all played a big part in getting me closer to finding balance. It's easy to slip back into my old lifestyle; it’s where I thrive! Putting myself in stressful situations is when I feel the most alive.

I’ve come to the conclusion that there isn’t a perfect balance in life. But there are certain times when I need to work hard and other times when I need peace. Concentrating on daily tasks to do better for myself so I can cope with heightened stress levels when they arise is vital.

WHAT MADE ME

SEUNG KI BAEK

RUSH Hair @seungkibaek

I began my hairdressing journey in my homeland, South Korea. As a young boy, I would spend hours at my aunt’s salon, fascinated by watching her at work – cutting, colouring, and styling her clients’ hair. My aunt quickly recognised my interest and highlighted that male hairdressers were becoming more popular in the industry, implying I should take the leap. It was a simple reason, but little did I know that moment would change my life.

After qualifying as a hairdresser, I knew I wanted to travel the world and experience hairdressing cultures in different places. I needed a challenge and felt a strong desire to acquire new skills and techniques, so I took the leap.

Having moved to London from my home in South Korea to pursue my career in hairdressing, I have now been with RUSH for more than 18 years. I began as a stylist, despite speaking little to no English when I arrived. I found communicating with clients particularly challenging – imagine trying to bring someone’s vision to life when you’re not able to understand what they’re saying! Clients began helping me with my English, with one spending more than two hours with me until I aced the pronunciation.

Fast forward to now and I’m so grateful that the team at RUSH never gave up on me. They’ve truly moulded me into who I am.