”Confident” by Justin Bieber plays as Coppell High School junior Jeanne Cheon energetically dances in a hip-hop style. When she is done, she posts the video for her 121,700 TikTok followers to watch.

What started as a fun hobby, composing various outfits to match different aesthetics, became an outlet for Cheon to express herself throughout high school and reconnect with her passion for dance.

Cheon started uploading videos to TikTok as a seventh grader at Coppell Middle School West during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, she loved to dance. However, she could not find studios that matched the specific style that she sought. Social media gave her the perfect outlet to dance.

“I quit dance when I was in sixth grade and I was really sad because it was a big passion of mine and I couldn’t do it anymore,” Cheon said. “So, I started posting videos just for fun. But then it blew up.”

Her digital success has led her to receive brand deals from companies, such as Aelfric Eden and Scuffers. Her initial fashion influences originated from the people around her and influencers she followed online. 

“I didn’t really have good style until I started being more exposed to social media and seeing other people,” Cheon said. “Before, I was really young and I just went with whatever everyone else was wearing. I think social media played a huge part in developing my sense of self, including my fashion. It became something that I could share with everyone.”

Seeing others express themselves through fashion inspired her to explore new styles. Fashion became a crucial part of Cheon’s life. She incorporated Korean influences into her wardrobe, using her culture as inspiration while creating a unique style of her own. 

”Seeing the clothes that people in Korea wear along with how it has come to America and collided with fashion here is really cool,” Cheon said. “Fashion-wise, Korea is pretty homogenous so most people wear the same thing. When something is trending, everyone wears it in Korea. I think those waves of popularity influenced me as well.”

Cheon’s attention to detail in fashion shines through in other hobbies as well. In the 2023-24 school year, Cheon completed an AP art portfolio with a focus on validation. She modeled all of her own shots, combining her passion for art and fashion.

”She was taking two photo sources and then trying to make up a space, but the perspective of it wasn’t technically correct,” visual arts teacher Michelle Hauske said. “She ended up repainting that painting probably four times to get the perspective right. She could’ve just abandoned it, but she wanted to learn a skill.”

She attributes her success to her extroverted personality and will to try new things. According to junior Anju Anand, her personality shines through in the clothing she wears. Anand considers Cheon a role model.

“The first thing I noticed about her was just how much I loved her style, how unique it was, how much effort she put into it — she just looks very cool,” Anand said. “Jeanne uses intention with everything she does. She’s so poised and a fun person to be around.”

When Cheon graduates high school, she plans to move to Korea to join a studio to pursue dance. Being an influencer taught Cheon her identity goes beyond social media. She thrives on expressing herself to the world without caring about others’ opinions.

“The validation you receive, whether it be from yourself or other people, isn’t guaranteed based on everything you do,” Cheon said. “But, having trust within yourself and trust in your identity when you’re sharing yourself with the world is a really large part of accepting yourself and not being too dependent on what other people think.” 

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