KINNSU: A LOCAL BRIEFING
Kinnsu was a passion project I launched at the end of 2015.
As global professionals, we often approach a country we’re trying to understand better through gathering personal insights and opinions offered by industry specialists who currently live there.
At Kinnsu, we’ve decided that these local briefings shouldn’t just be shared over lunch, but with the world.
As we seek out the individuals who’ll act as our lens and barometer to the different industries that have shaped – or are shaping – a certain part of this world, we hope that their insights will allow you to put into context the current ecosystem that you’re about to enter.
I’ve always believed that outsiders play a role in observing culture - more acute in their analysis and reflections, with the advantage of having their own societal norms to draw upon and identify the similarities and differences that exist. KINNSU featured four individuals who consider themselves as global citizens, situated in different parts of the world. Their perspectives provided readers an insight into the city’s livability from a cultural and industry context.
Matthew Morgan on Seoul and Finance
Meghan Dhaliwal on Mexico City and Photo Journalism
Zanna K. McKay on Saigon and Multi-media Journalism
Debra Langley on Singapore and Fashion, Retail and Venture Funding
I’m sharing some of my observations below, and links to the full article.
Seoul is a 24/7 always-on, lively, and dynamic city characterized by the work hard, play hard mindset where moderation is often lacking. It’s almost an intoxicating way of life where stimulation is intense and ever-present, marked by inescapable highs and lows, whether that arises from stress, alcohol-fuelled nightlife, or lack of sleep.
The city itself is a captivating enigma, a collection of mini towns and sub-cultures that are neighbourhood-dependent (the quieter North vs. the upscale South), all wrapped up into one megapolis of tens of millions.”
Matthew Morgan, a finance specialist on Seoul. Full feature here.
D.F.’s energy is definitely a little frenetic, with a color-outside-the-lines vibe that doesn’t really associate with any U.S. cities. The city is ancient; once the heart of the Aztec empire. It feels a little haunted by ghosts of then and now. It is also a city that truly values art, which I love
Meghan Dhaliwal, a freelance photojournalist on Mexico City. Full feature here.
“I think what makes Ho Chi Minh City unique is the phase of development that it’s going through. Because Vietnam went from under-developed to middle-income within a decade, there is a unique combination here of comforts a foreigner might expect and affordability. There is also a wealth of interesting people who are truly “following their passions”-as cliché as that sounds-because the barriers to entry as an independent person are lower here than in many developed places (as an artist, fashion designer, restaurateur, freelance designer, etc.).”
Zanna K. McKay, a multimedia journalist on Saigon. Full feature here.
To put that into context, Singapore is like a pleasant dinner party companion who’s knowledgeable about a lot of things, but doesn’t say anything too irreverent or outrageous, and so it’s hard to know what she’s really thinking. But you’d still want to hang out with her again because you know there’s something interesting there.
Debra Langley, a Fashion + Retail Consultant and VC on Singapore. Full feature here.