Cover model: Julia Sophia Ryu. Two-piece, Steven Khalil. Shoes, ShoeDazzle. Earrings, Veronica Tharmalingam. Necklaces, Veronica Tharmalingam. Ring Diamante by Rosalina.
Julia Sophia Ryu started the conversation with Harper’s Bazaar by elaborating on her topic of choice, “I think that now more than ever, the world needs healing and awareness around our relationships with one another. We are creatures of love, and we can embrace our similarities and differences.” Are there several ways to express love? Certainly, Julia believes. “I am very open-hearted and open-minded about how people express themselves and the ways they choose to love, but I believe that choosing love is the answer.”
Dress, Adolfo Sanchez. Jewelry, Diamante by Rosalina.
Personally, for her, she wants “to pour all of my love and desire into one man who gives me the safety and security to do so. There isn’t one word for our dynamic or for how I feel about love, but I would describe myself as devotionally monogamous.” Her husband is extremely private, but he is her “absolute world. The freedom of my joyful feminine expression is a gift that he gives me by being my absolute anchor and protector.”
Two-piece, Steven Khalil. Shoes, ShoeDazzle. Earrings, Veronica Tharmalingam. Necklaces, Veronica Tharmalingam. Ring, Diamante by Rosalina.
Being deeply in love with her husband, Julia Sophia Ryu is very cautious in showing her emotions publicly. “We both believe that social media can be exploitative and dangerous, so I am very cautious in the digital world. I embrace the belief that privacy is the ultimate luxury.”
Jewelry, Andreanne Patry. Shoes, Charles David.
For Julia, love is boundless and it is not contained within family relationships. She shows love to other people through her non-profit involvement. She herself is an equestrian. Together with four other friends, she founded Calypso Equestrian in 2018, and it has grown into a thriving organization supporting more kindness and compassionate care in the equestrian community. She told HBVN with a smile, “We sponsor local equestrian competitions, and other non-profits as well as take care of horses in the “Create More Kindness” program. It’s very fulfilling. My man and I support many other non-profits each year together, and it’s a privilege to be able to give back.”
Dress, Stello. Shoes, Bella Belle. Necklace, Rocky Star. Jewelry, Diamante by Rosalina.
Julia Sophia Ryu was obsessed with horses from a very young age. Her first riding lesson started when she was only 9 years old. After a break from riding for a number of years, she recently returned to her favorite sports. She rides her horses four days every week and competes at multiple shows each year. Last year she won the zone championship in the 1-meter division with her horse “Punky”. It was a meaningful achievement for her to reach that milestone after being away from it for so long.
Talking about her passion, Julia again beamed with love for her husband, “My husband made this possible for me, and I am eternally grateful. It has been a dream come true to return to riding and time with horses.”
Bodysuit, Oroy. Dress, Bani Pasricha. Earrings, DM Jewelry Designs. Shoes, ShoeDazzle.
The amateur equestrian has many friendships with horses, obviously. She is very close with several of the horses in the non-profit programs. However, she admits she has “a particular fondness for Tiny, a retired racehorse”. She talked about him lovingly, “He is always very grumpy and nippy. Even though he is not the best ambassador for “kindness” in his grumpy demeanor, he has such a quirky personality, and watching him thrive in his second chance at life has been heartwarming for myself and many others who know him – and tolerate his antics!”
Her personal horse who she rides herself is named Pablito. They have an amazing bond. She comes to the stables and he nickers with excitement to see her. She concluded, “I think that the most important part of the equestrian sport is the bond with your horse.”
Corsette High Low gown with lace bodice, Suzanne Hanley for Atelier des Modistes. Jewelry, Diamante by Rosalina.
Life is not always Pink. Everybody has to face and overcome obstacles throughout their lifetime. Julia Sophia Ryu talked about her personal experiences, “I’ve had plenty of scary experiences, broken bones, etc. But I think coming home to myself and my feminine energy has been the most transformative journey for me so far. I really had to allow my old self to release stuck patterns and discover my deeper yearning feminine heart underneath. That has unlocked immense freedom and enjoyment in each moment of life for me. The happiest reward to come from that was meeting the love of my life and running away with him to start our incredible life together. I have no regrets, I am so proud of everything we have overcome in life, both separately and together, to be where we are today – hopelessly in love.”
Bodysuit, Oroy. Earrings, DM Jewelry Designs. Shoes, ShoeDazzle.
Julia also called out to the public, “Life is absurd, it really is. But here we are living it. So don’t hold back the love you have to share, the light you have to shine, be silly, be playful! The world needs all of your glowing, loving energy more than ever, and sometimes the most extraordinary thing you can do starts inside yourself – with healing, and with love… Never worry if any good thing is enough. Every good deed, every good thought makes the world a better place for all of us.”
What are her plans for the future? Julia Sophia Ryu smiled, “My plans are ever evolving. Again with a nod to privacy, I keep them secret until realized!” Finally, she ended our chat, “I hope to be able to spread more love and joy to all those I encounter ahead in this life.”
Gold heart necklace, Adiba. Earrings, Veronica Tharmalingam.
Team Credits
Cover Model: Julia Sophia Ryu
Photographer: JK Wong @jkishere
Photo Assistant: Evi Kosciow @shotbyevi
Creative Director: Iryna Voskerician @irynavoskerician
Makeup and Hair: Sophia Nawabi @makeupandhair_sophianawabi
Assisted by Jeanette R.
Stylist: Summer Horchem @styledbysum
Nails: The Upper Hand Nail Salon, San Francisco
Hair Extensions & Color: Emma Breese, Patrick Evan Salon @emmajaynestyles
Hair Cut: Sonia Paniagua @soniapaniaguahair
Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam
