Jina Jeon

_{Date of recording: August 18, 2023}

Jina Jeon has published a novel, created her own business, and founded a literary magazine, all by the age of 18! While adding a personal flair to each of her endeavors, Jina has achieved many of her childhood dreams. She uses humor through her Etsy store to combat the existential dread that Gen Z faces, has written a young-adult novel inspired by Greek mythology, and built a magazine to connect a community of writers and readers. Each of these ventures sprouted from the simple idea that Jina wanted to create things she wished to see in the world.

Watch the full video interview here!

Jina Jeon calls herself a “certified silly goose.” Actually, this 18-year-old novelist, business owner, and literary magazine founder is the furthest thing from a silly goose (though it’s what her most popular Etsy pin says). Instead, she is a determined creator motivated by setting goals for herself and achieving them. Creating what she wants to see in the world has led to some of the most successful ventures for Jina, including a comical Etsy shop, a published young adult novel, and a magazine that uplifts diverse voices. 

Jina was not an overnight success. She first explored various avenues of self-expression, like music production and sewing, but found her passions expanding into other fields. Her Etsy shop, SadClownTreasures, began as just a meme page on Instagram used to combat the drab world of quarantine. It used existential-dread humor that has become the rallying cry of Gen-Z. Some of her products include a pin that reads “pain is inevitable” with a thumbs-up emoji; another says, “I am God’s greatest threat.” The shop also exhibits keychains with pictures of alternative rock musicians like Vic Fuentes of Pierce the Veil, Hayley Williams of Paramore, and even includes an option for a custom photo keychain. 

SadClownTreasures is an oasis for those who revel in the excitement of alternative humor, culture, and art. Jina explains that “in the beginning, it wasn’t really supposed to be a business. It was supposed to be me sharing these goofy stickers of these memes that I post.” She didn’t sell much until she began experimenting with crocheting. She crocheted a Shrek hat that led to a spike in sales for her shop. According to Jina, the Shrek hat has since been featured in a Buzzfeed article and a Cosmopolitan video. 

Similarly, her interest in online literary magazines began on Instagram. Inspired by those she followed, she decided to create her own magazine but wanted to make it more inclusive by focusing on diverse voices, including all genres, and accepting submissions from any language. Jina then founded Iceblink, a magazine designed to establish a community for writers by providing resources such as writing prompts, tips, character planners, and advice for productivity. She believes “meeting [other] people that enjoy writing can really inspire your work.” Engaging in this kind of community is not only inspiring but also practical, as it assists writers in being accountable for their productivity by including guidelines for ways to write. The magazine has come a long way, evolving from being a humble Instagram page to a full-fledged magazine that recently celebrated the publication of Issue #5!

As if those weren’t enough enterprises for a teenager, Jina has also been writing novels since she was 12 years old! Her 2020 novel, Brand New World, was inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, presenting a world where people can travel between dimensions, including a group of young adults that break into the realm of the dead. Jina drew upon her diverse experiences and unique voice to create her first published work. Although this is her first published book, her goal has been to write one novel every year. She’s currently working on her second book, set to be released in 2024 with the tentative title Vaguely Human Figures, and it can already be added on Goodreads for updates.

With her Korean background, Jina understands the importance of having people of color represented well within her work. In Brand New World as well as Iceblink, she implements diversity. “Not diversity to just appease the masses, but genuine diversity,” she says. In Iceblink’s mission statement, Jina highlights the goal of amplifying a variety of voices by not limiting the genre of writing accepted, allowing submissions in any language, and not using themes as focal points of each issue. Removing strict guidelines in the types of work that Iceblink publishes also removes the exclusion of diverse voices. 

Despite all her success, Jina has remained incredibly humble. Like another pin in her shop, she recognizes that “fog consumes all”—meaning there are ups and downs in everyone’s life, and we’re all trying to survive in this constantly changing world. Although Jina is motivated by achieving goals, she acknowledges that she’s “had flop eras.” This includes product launches that don’t meet her sales expectations, as well as periods of receiving fewer submissions for her magazine. So, what keeps Jina going even after a “flop?” Her understanding is that “that’s the beauty of life; there are so many opportunities.” When one opportunity doesn’t pan out, there is always the next one just around the corner. The importance lies in pursuing those goals. 

Running a business, writing novels, and creating magazines is not as smooth of a journey as social media might glamorize. Jina admits that she used to be very critical of herself whenever someone expressed that they didn’t like one of her products. She took it as a personal reflection of herself. She believed that their disinterest in the product meant that they didn’t like her. However, she has since learned that not all products are going to be enjoyed by every person. Everyone has different tastes and opinions, and it certainly doesn’t mean it’s a reflection of her personally. Jina understands that “you don’t have to do whatever is popular at the moment. It’s okay to just be true to yourself.” This has led to her idea that the best products are those that include elements of what she enjoys and not just what is popular. 

These are a lot of projects for any person to take on. However, Jina enjoys everything that she is doing and remembers to practice self-care, especially during stressful periods. She half-jokingly reminds herself “not to believe anything that [she] thinks after 10 pm,” because at night is when the doubts and negative thoughts creep in. She recognizes that after a long day juggling her various ventures, exhaustion catches up and can fuel a moment of imposter syndrome. Thankfully, these moments of doubting her success are only brief because, in the mornings, she wakes up and tells herself, “We’re going to have a good day; we’re going to slay.”

There is a strong need for community in a world filled with post-quarantine loneliness, global warming, war, and many other catastrophes that greatly affect the morale of Gen-Z. Jina’s success in building community is an inspiration for reaching goals and developing change in the world all while remaining humble and pushing through the moments of self-doubt. Whether it’s through the dark humor of her Etsy store, the connection of experiences through her magazine, or the expression of diversity in her novels, Jina aspires to connect people… And if she can do this all while wearing her “certified silly goose” pin, then more power to her!