Meet Kane: The Creative Director Behind K-AFRO

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background?

Everyone calls me Kane, but that is actually a nickname that stuck over the years. Born and raised in France, I studied digital project management, communication, and digital marketing. I have always been drawn to creative fields and found my way into graphic design and communication pretty naturally. Professionally, I work as a web project manager, helping businesses strengthen their online brand image. That covers a lot of ground, from website administration and content creation, whether it is web design or graphic design, to SEO and analytics. Today, all of those skills come together in everything I do for K-AFRO.

What is your personal connection to South Korea? How did it all start?

It started through my sister. She lives in South Korea and travelled extensively across Asia, and whenever she came back to visit us in France, she would tell us everything about Korean life, the culture, the food, the people. At first I was not really into it, I knew absolutely nothing about the country. But her stories got to me over time. Now I visit her about once a year and every time I land in Seoul, it feels like a warm welcome. It genuinely feels like a second home.

As someone of Congolese heritage living in France and travelling often to South Korea, how do you navigate between these different cultures on a daily basis?

I see it as a real opportunity. Growing up in France, I have always been curious about other cultures. I have been a hip-hop and basketball fan since I was young, so American culture was already a big part of my world. I am also a huge anime fan, so Japanese culture has always fascinated me. And to better understand Korean daily life and customs, I started following French YouTubers who share their experiences living in South Korea. It really helped me grasp the culture before even setting foot there. Now Korean culture has completely won me over. I am learning the language and diving into the history. I have so much love and respect for this country and what it has given me through K-AFRO.

What was your first encounter with African and Afro-American culture in South Korea, and what did it tell you about the need for a platform like K-AFRO?

On my very first trip to South Korea, I had no idea how diverse the country actually was. Then I discovered Itaewon and I was genuinely amazed. I met people from all over the world, many of them deeply passionate about African and Afro-American culture. I went to festivals and parties and felt this incredible energy. But at the same time, I realized how hard it was to find these places and events if you did not already know someone. That is exactly what convinced me that K-AFRO needed to exist.

K-AFRO is both a media and a communication agency. Where did that idea come from, and why combine the two?

It came from a very real observation. A lot of restaurants, events, and cultural spots connected to African and Afro-American culture in Korea are incredibly hard to find online. I personally discovered some restaurants through TikTok simply because they had no website or proper social media presence. K-AFRO was built to help change that, to give these places and projects a better audience and a stronger voice. The media side and the communication services naturally go together because the problem and the solution are the same.