photos and interview by John Finucane

Yo Jay, introduce yourself and who do you skate for?
My name is Jason Choi, I’m a skateboarder from South Korea and I ride for Timber skateboards & Timber shop.

You grew up in the States and started skating there. What was it like?
Skating in the States was the best. My friends and I skated everywhere, it was basically our transportation. Spots weren’t that great, but we had a lot of loading docks and underground parking lots where we could skate without getting kicked out. We had a nearby skatepark called “Van Dyke” and that’s where everything started. One day I ended up taking the metro to Washington D.C. with my friends and saw a new world of skateboarding. I literally saw a small army of skaters at one spot called Freedom Plaza, and it opened up my mind about skateboarding.

The first time I saw you was the YouTube video of the Canadian 21 stairs attempt, what is the back story on that?
This is a long story, so to keep it short, my friends and I went to Washington D.C. to skate around and we happened to walk right by the famous Canadian Embassy 21 stairs. I told my friends that I think I can do it, and of course they didn’t think I could, which they were right about in the end. So we made some bets, and not too long after I just went for it. I think I tried it 13 times total (not the same day). I never landed it, but at least I tried my best. Good times.

What is Seoul like and how is the skate scene?
I’d say it is a great visiting place. She’s got everything you need. Delicious food places are open 24/7, party places are open until six in the morning, or even longer depending on which club you are at, and pretty girls are everywhere. If you are more about the sightseeing, there’s that too. Now, the skate scene here needs a lot of work, but I love how far we’ve come. A lot of park skaters, but not a lot of people like to meet up at the street spot, which sucks because for me that’s how I grew up. Skating in the streets, pushing around, learning how to pop on that crusty ass pavement, but I get it, we got it better now. A lot of videos are starting to come out from Korea, which is amazing because that means more spots. I think the Korean skate scene has a lot of potential because it’s still fresh and there are a lot of untouched skate spots that need to be skated. So come through, you foreigners. 

Seoul has incredible spots, what are your top three and what type of spot are they?
I would say anywhere that has stairs and ledges. If anything, I always ask my good homie John Finucane for them spots. Holla at the homie. 

You recently had the last part in Jake Borchenko’s Portmanteau video. How did the video get started and how was the process of making the part?
Yeah, so you introduced me to Jake one day at a Vans event, and Jake had just moved from Canada to Korea for a year. You told me that Jake films a lot and that he would be the guy to make my video part while he stayed here, which is how it all started. Jake started filming me first, but I was on and off my board, not being consistent with him because of personal family issues and my own personal issues. I missed a lot of filming days with Jake. I guess during that time he decided to add Ahn Dae Gun, and Josh Murphy into the mix to create Portmanteau, and I’m so glad that Jake made that happen. Anyways, I did what I could in those circumstances, and somehow we still managed to get a decent part but an amazing video out of it. I learned a lot from this first video part through thick and thin. Hopefully the next one will be much better. 

When you were in the States did you skate NYC or Philly much? How was it?
Yeah, I’ve skated both. I was pretty young when I went, but I still remember how sick it was. New York had this crazy energy, everyone’s moving fast, and the city itself feels like one big skate spot. You can hit a few blocks and find so many different things to skate. Philly had a totally different vibe, more raw and gritty, but the locals there had so much style and power in the way they skated. Both scenes had their own flavor, and being around that energy when I was younger definitely left an impression on me.

Do you ever travel around Korea to skate in other cities, like Busan or anywhere else?
Yeah, years ago I traveled to almost every city in Korea to skate. Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, you name it. Each city has its own vibe and different kinds of spots, and the locals are always super welcoming. It’s been a while since I’ve done a full skate trip like that, but I definitely want to do it again for my next video part.

While you were in D.C. how much time were you spending at Freedom Plaza?
Honestly, I only went when my friends wanted to go, or if my old filmer wanted to get a trick there. So I can’t really say I spent a lot of time at Freedom. But I’m lucky I got to meet some cool D.C. locals through skateboarding, they made every session there memorable.

What is the Korean skate industry like? What would you like to see more of?
The Korean skate industry is still developing compared to places like the U.S. or Japan, but it’s been growing a lot these past few years. I’d love to see more proper parks being built and more video parts coming out, just more people creating and pushing the scene. Definitely more money flowing into the industry, and more skaters getting paid for what they do. And there’s never enough filmers in Korea. 

If you could go anywhere in the world to skate, where would it be and why?
I’d love to visit Barcelona. Ever since I first started skating with my friends back in the States, that was always the dream spot we all talked about. Every skate video we watched had clips from there. Perfect ledges, smooth ground, and skaters from all over the world. It just looked like the kind of place where the whole culture comes together. What’s crazy is, out of all my childhood skate crew, I’m the only one still skating now. So going to Barcelona would kind of feel like bringing that old dream full circle for me and for the friends I started skating with.

Would you ever move back to the States?
I wouldn’t want to move back, but I’d definitely love to visit. I miss my childhood friends and the vibes for sure. I’d probably go back to skate the spots I used to skate and the ones I couldn’t hit back then because I was still learning.

Do you have any (D.C.)park police stories?
Yeah, I was trying the Canadian Embassy 21-stair when I was super young, and that spot always had heavy security. I think it was my third time going back to get it, and the D.C. local skate homies and my friends actually blocked the security guards so I could try it one last time. I thought that was so G. Definitely one of the coolest moments I remember. 

I’m curious to know if there are any Korean OGs or videos people should know about?
Yeah, there are definitely a lot of Korean OG skaters who helped build the scene way before it started getting attention. They were out there hitting street spots, filming, and really keeping the culture alive when there wasn’t much support for skateboarding here. One video I always tell people to check out is called ChickenRun —just type “ChickenRun Korea skateboarding” on YouTube. It’s such a classic piece of Korean skate history and really shows the raw energy and passion from that generation.

Where’s the best spot to grab Bibimbap in Seoul?
Man, that’s a tough one, there’s way too much good food in Seoul to pick just one spot! You can pretty much walk into a random restaurant and the Bibimbap will still hit. Honestly, the local, old-school places usually make it best, the kind where the menu’s handwritten, and the ajummas (ladies running it) don’t play around. Seoul’s food scene is wild, so wherever you end up, you’re not gonna lose.

When people visit Korea, what do they typically say is the biggest source of culture shock?
The biggest culture shock in Korea is how much respect and hierarchy shape everyday life. Even small interactions change depending on who you’re with. The pace of the city is fast, with people always on the move, and the focus on appearance and style is hard to miss. Another big difference is the after work drinking culture, which is such a central part of social life and bonding. At first, it can feel strict or intense, but once you notice it, it’s fascinating to see how tradition, discipline, and modern life come together. Overall, it’s a unique mix that makes Korea feel completely different from anywhere else.

Any final shoutouts?
Big thanks to all my friends, family, Timber hop, Daily Grind Magazine, and éS Shoes for all the support over the years. Huge shoutout to Jake Borchenko, the filmer who made my video part journey possible, and John Finucane for the amazing skate photos. I really appreciate everyone who’s been part of this journey and kept me motivated to keep pushing. Much love.