Interview with Oneul Zine Founder: Bona Lee

Young Creatives are often scrutinized for their choice to invest in their own ideas. ‘You are too young’. ‘You have no experience’. ‘Leave it to the adults’. In the print industry, we see mainstream forms of media production such as magazines and newspapers but we've grown tired of the same old structure of entertainment. We need something new, or, should I say new-ish. In the 1930s zines first began production but were extremely scarce until the rise of the punk scene in the 80s. Later it became a source of feminist philosophy to be readily distributed amongst punk and grunge scenes, but it was often exclusive and ignorant of the roots of the punk scene: black punk creatives also known as Afro-Punks, and other creatives of colour. Now people like Bona Lee are calling for the zine industry to be something more. 

“I started it (the zine) back in April 2020 when we were in our first lockdown. I felt inspired to create a zine to pursue my creative ideas and I never knew it would be as big as it is today nor stay this long”, Bona says about the creation of her zine “Oneul” now with over two issues, almost 10 thousand followers on Instagram, and over 40 thousand on TikTok. “Oneul means "today" in Korean, my native language. I wanted to emphasize living the moment and how today is the day you can get closer to your dreams.” She has a team with photographers, editors, writers, and others to help her keep control over this blooming business. “I am super grateful for each and every one of them (members of the Oneul Zine team) as they are the main reason why we were able to create and get to where we are today.” Opportunities like this seem out of reach to many of us, but Bona is an example of what you can achieve with some dedication.

 “I tend to be very spontaneous” - Spontaneous? Yes. Dedicated? Absolutely yes. Trust that when Bona Lee is determined to achieve something, she will do so. “One day in 2020 one of our TikTok videos blew up and it gradually attracted many people from all over the world who wanted to join our team!” The rise of fast content production through apps like TikTok and Instagram sometimes make us forget how much work goes into the content we see behind the scenes. For every video we scroll past and every page we flip, there is someone like Bona Lee dedicating time to make you happy. “Since I started it during the lockdown where everything was closed, I was able to invest a large amount of my time (in the zine) to the point that my whole day was circulating around the zine.” Bona, a student at our very own Havergal College is someone you have probably walked past in the hallways. Maybe you've seen her chatting with her friends or busy working on something, but you don't really think too much of it. That's kind of the magic of Bona Lee. She is one of us: another teenager trying to find herself under the pressure of growing up. She gets it. “To be quite frank, the amount of work is very stressful at times, especially since I have to balance it out with school and extracurricular activities.” Imagine how hard it is to balance schoolwork and friendships. Now imagine having to take on a business where young adults require your leadership. It can be easy. “Since I have other team members, I'm able to take breaks from time to time and not obsess over working on the zine. Although I feel guilty about it sometimes, I think it's important for everyone to keep in mind that you're allowed to take breaks.” I think we can all relate to that and appreciate that advice.  

“I get into this mindset where I don't appreciate my efforts and think I won't be able to achieve certain goals just because I'm a teenager.” Bona is living, breathing proof that you can be both a student and a dreamer whether you have experience and age or not. “I wasn't aware of the zine community until then and I was immediately hooked.” Don't be fooled, however, Bona is not a beginner anymore. She has three publications, her newest in print available at her website at theoneulzine.com. Oneul Zine was but a dream in 2020. Today it is a vessel for her fellow dreamers and every one of you should count yourselves amongst them. “Just keep doing what you're doing and staying confident because you are more than capable. I think if you keep doing what you want to do with a purpose, you will gain that respect in the end.” There is no stopping Bona Lee now because this is just the beginning of her story: “We hope to create more print issues, start a Youtube channel, do collaborations with big brands, and emphasize highlighting BIPOC creatives…continuing to learn and grow while serving our purpose: creating an inspiring platform for and by creatives.”. That is what she is calling for: bigger, better, more inclusive portrayals of creativity in the print scene. Yes, she is young, that is something Bona is reminded of whilst navigating her business. “A lot of people I have met through Oneul Zine assumed that I wasn't a teenager, I have had some moments where people were surprised by my actual age.” Being a high school student is not the disadvantage that we may have thought. We have new ideas and spirit to see them through and the proof is all around us. It is even behind Havergal’s very own ivy walls. In people like Bona Lee and inside you as well, all we need to do is start today.