In this Part 2 episode on #OldAsianLady, Sophie Lee continues with her amazing journey. From starting two companies to buying her first home in Taipei at 24, Sophie opens up about the emotional toll of grinding through three jobs, learning on the fly, and building a life that doesn’t look like anyone else’s.

Sophie shares:

- The reality of starting a business with friends and what she’s learned

- Navigating burnout, breakdowns, and how she keeps pushing through

- Self-reliance, making decisions and taking responsibility

- Why self-awareness and risk-taking are key to resilience

Whether you're chasing independence, balancing multiple jobs, or building a dream one decision at a time—this episode is your reminder that courage isn't loud. Sometimes, it looks like a woman quietly carving her own path.

What if failure wasn’t the end—but the start of becoming who you really are?

In Part 1 of this soul-stirring episode of #OldAsianLady, we sit down with Sophie Lee, a young Taiwanese entrepreneur whose story is anything but conventional. From dropping out of Taiwan’s rigid education system to rebuilding her confidence in the U.S., Sophie’s journey is a masterclass in self-discovery, cultural dissonance, and fierce independence.

Sophie opens up about:

- Feeling lost in Taiwan's traditional school system

- Moving to Seattle, freedom, learning how to survive and thrive

- Reclaiming her identity and building confidence abroad

- Returning to Taiwan and fitting back in

Whether you’ve ever struggled with not fitting in, wrestled with family expectations, or wondered how far you’d go for a chance at freedom—Sophie’s story is a reminder that sometimes, breaking the rules is the first step to rewriting your own.

What happens when you dedicate your life to an art form—and the world around you changes faster than your dreams can keep up?

In Part 2 on #OldAsianLady, we reunite with Jean-Jacques Chen, an animator whose career has spanned continents, mediums, and evolving technologies. From his early days obsessing over Dragon Ball and sketching every stroke by hand, to becoming a versatile creator working in MVs, film, and even video games, JJ shares what it really takes to build—and rebuild—a creative life.

JJ dives into:

- The grueling yet transformative years at La Cambre in Belgium

- Why he chose 2D over 3D animation

- How Princess Mononoke and Chinese ink painting shaped his visual identity

- Watching Taiwan’s 2D animation scene fade as 3D rose to dominance

- What Taiwan can learn from Japan & Korea when it comes to building cultural soft power.

"Before we know, we don’t know. And that’s where everyone starts."