African architect's career break leads to unexpected modeling fame in Korea

For Tanoé Akouba Leïla Olivia, modeling was the last thing on her mind when she came to Korea, because she was certain about her aspirations of working as an architect. Her professional training in interior design and 3D visualization in the U.K., Italy and Spain cemented her commitment to the field, until a career break in Korea made her rethink her path and eventually become a full-time model.

Born in Cote d’Ivoire to an Ivorian father and Malian mother, Leïla spent her early childhood traveling between countries due to the nature of her parents’ work. Her childhood was filled with memories of the bright streets of Manchester, the antique avenues of Spain and the bustling roads of Italy. From time to time, she would find herself enjoying the flavorful food in Nigeria and exploring the historical and colorful streets of Togo and Senegal. This lifestyle led her to consider herself “un enfant du monde” — a French expression meaning “child of the world.”

After completing her internship in Marbella and Valencia, she took a big leap and moved to China to work as a 3D visualization artist in 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, she once again had to pack her bags and move to Ghana, where her parents were based at the time.

Her next move, to Abidjan in Ivory Coast, came at the right time, just as the world was recovering from the pandemic and she landed a job in the city. The role involved working in a busy architectural studio for three years; due to the nature of the job, she felt fatigued and decided to take a break to recharge and then resume work, but that was never to be.

Reflecting on this pivotal decision, she is quick to point out that she was not ready for the way things eventually turned out.

“The original plan was straightforward: take a year off, rest, reset and eventually return to architecture and design. Instead, that break became the beginning of an entirely different career,” she said.

Restarting in Seoul

When she first landed in Seoul, people would randomly stop her in the street and ask if she was a model, which she quickly denied. She recalls being scouted several times growing up, including by a major agency during her time in the U.K. But coming from an African household, modeling was never something she would have considered presenting to her parents as a professional ambition.

“Everywhere I went, people would ask me, ‘Are you a model?’ and every time I answered, ‘No,’ they would look genuinely shocked,” she said. “The question came up so often that eventually I began to reconsider.”

After a while, she decided to sign with a modeling agency and try her hand at modeling. She would, however, later realize that modeling was not as easy as she expected. She said the illusion created by appearing in campaigns, fashion shoots, beauty brands and travel can sometimes be deceiving.

She points out that surviving in the industry requires patience and resilience because of the numerous rejections one receives, especially when starting out.

“Models have to become comfortable with rejection and learn not to interpret every ‘no’ as a judgment of their worth," she said. "You have to be resilient and learn how to hear a thousand no’s without taking it personally.”

Working in the industry in Korea also exposed her to the challenges that come with being a model from Africa. She recalls occasions when she felt overlooked for certain jobs compared with other models from Europe.

However, the challenges of being a model are not limited to casting, especially for models from Africa. Beyond that, dark-skinned models face difficulties with hair and makeup, especially because most beauty brands do not have what they need. In the case of hair, not many hairstylists are experienced with dealing with her hair texture because it requires special treatment.

She recalls a situation in one of her earlier shoots, where no foundation matched her skin, an incident that made her feel left out and unprepared for the shoot. Her hair and makeup were not done the way she expected; despite this challenge, she was able to remain professional and complete the shoot.

For Leïla, confidence has become one of the most important tools in her professional kit.

“I’m a very mentally strong and positive person," she said. "I have never allowed that to derail me from being a go-getter here. At the end of the day, the most alluring thing you can wear is confidence. Do not let any unfortunate circumstances break you.”

Ever since that ordeal, she decided to carry her own makeup kit to shoots and always be ready to do her hair.

The other common problem that she soon came to realize is dealing with agencies. Like many models starting out in Korea, she found herself facing the chilling reality that not all agencies care about the welfare of models.

“While agencies can provide valuable access to clients and opportunities, some agencies are more focused on collecting commissions than on developing and supporting their models,” she said.

She pointed to how some agencies would tell their models that limitations on their fees are imposed by the client, when in reality, they come from the agencies themselves, in a bid to make more money from the jobs than the models do.

For aspiring models, Lei'la emphasized the need for contract transparency and thorough research before signing contracts.

“Reach out to models who are already signed with that agency and ask about their experiences. Ask how commissions are calculated, and understand whether the agency is consistently finding work for its models," she said. "And, above all, you should understand your commissions, usage fees and the terms under which you are being represented.”

Given the nature of payments in the modeling industry, she advised that financial planning is an important way of safeguarding oneself from financial uncertainty, especially on days when they are unable to book shoots.

“Be patient with yourself; the early stages can be slow, and income may not always be consistent," she said. "For someone entering the industry, it is particularly important to be careful with spending and to learn how to manage money before the work becomes steady.”

Settling into Korea's modeling industry

Even though she is slowly settling in and building her name in the local modeling scene, Leïla has already had opportunities to work with big brands, which have opened more doors for her.

One of her favorite projects was a campaign for Hyundai Genesis. A two-day shoot on Jeju Island saw her work alongside an amazing team and crew.

Most recently, she became a brand ambassador for Korean beauty brand HERA, working across makeup, skin care and other beauty products. This new role allows her to sample and promote the brand’s range of cosmetic products specifically designed for dark-skinned users from Africa and other parts of the world.

In 2025, Leïla became the main face of the annual Seoul Africa Festival; her image, alongside other models, appeared in social media materials promoting the event.

“It was such an honor to be the face of the Seoul Africa Festival because I was able to represent my continent while celebrating the beautiful connection and growing relationship between Africa and Korea,” she said.

The festival brought together African and Korean communities, cultures and creative industries, allowing Leïla to take part in something that reflected another part of her identity.

“Seeing the union of the two cultures and being involved in all the work that went into making the event happen was incredibly meaningful to me,” she said.

For Leïla, modeling is ultimately about more than being in front of a camera; it is also about the people you meet. She encourages new models to build genuine professional relationships with directors, producers, photographers, makeup artists, stylists, other models and everyone else involved in productions.

“Stay professional, stay polite and keep a good spirit, even when things do not go your way. In a highly relationship-driven industry, a positive impression can be just as valuable as a strong portfolio,” she said.

Architecture and design may have been her original professional path, but modeling has given her a new platform from which to explore identity, creativity and the growing relationship between Africa and Korea.

Drawing on her background in architecture, she may be able to shape a path for many aspiring models, not only from her own country but across Africa, who are looking to start and rebuild their lives afresh in Korea.

Nashon Owano is a freelance journalist and content creator based in Korea. He is passionate about sports, culture and human interest stories. Follow @owanohnashon on X and Instagram.