After the ride, we met the skater girl outside W Taipei to show off her moves and chat about life as a traveler and world-famous It-girl always on the road.

How did you start longboarding?

Hyojoo: I worked as a User Interface (UI) designer for LINE, a global messenger company, but recently left. It was a very common thing to work late every day, so I needed some more active hobbies. I came across a longboard video and got interested so I went to the longboard shop and bought one for the first time.

What’s your favorite thing about exploring a city on your board?

H: I love to ride in a strange landscape when I travel. In Korea, I ride my longboard at a familiar place so I can focus on riding rather than enjoying the scenery. 
But when I ride the board abroad, the new scenes passing by me are amazing.

What is your favorite thing about visiting Taipei?

H: I visited Taipei three times and have always been impressed with the people there.
 They resemble me but have a totally different culture. These experiences feel like a new energy to me.

What makes this city different?

H: Modern and traditional combine well here. I think that’s Taipei’s greatest attraction.

What are three things you can’t live without when traveling?

H: My longboard, of course, a camera, and socks. My board is certainly the one item that I’ve had with me since my first overseas trip. My camera, to capture my experiences, is a close second.

What’s your personal style and does that change from day to night?

H: I focus on styling for longboard riding.
 I like short pants with good elasticity, and when I wear short pants, I usually wear knee-socks to protect my legs from little bumps and scratches.
 I like to wear a variety of sock designs for extra style points.