TFS#227 - Lynne Karina, Olympian Turned Actor and Japanese Travel Influencer

Lynne Karina Hutchison is a British rhythmic gymnast turned actor. She competed for Team GB at the 2012 London Olympics and won bronze at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. After retiring from gymnastics, she trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and now works as an actor, dancer, and model, sharing her work on Instagram.Connect with Lynne!https://www.instagram.com/thejapanstagramhttps://www.instagram.com/lynnekarinahutchhttps://www.tiktok.com/@thejapanstagramhttps://www.youtube.com/@thejapanstagram0:00 - Introduction1:00 - Meet Lynne Karina1:56 - Lynne talks about her upbringing2:44 - Lynne shares her main focus4:26 - Lynne discusses her work at tourism companies in Japan6:33 - Lynne's experience as a media member at the Olympic Channel during the Paris Olympics8:04 - Lynne met celebrities and pro athletes at the Paris Olympics, including Simone Biles8:38 - How she transitioned from gymnastics to acting and dancing10:06 - How her high school schedule was unusual because of her gymnastics training11:20 - Competing in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India11:45 - Lynne's Olympics experience13:08 - Lynne talks about her brother's jiu-jitsu career15:22 - How she visits her brother every time she goes to Japan16:08 - Desire to live in Japan someday17:19 - Travel experiences in Japan and where she wants to live in the future18:20 - Why she wants to live in Tokyo, Japan, in the future19:53 - Personality in Japan versus in the UK21:15 - Japan's unique culture22:24 - Japan’s financial/population crisis and current economy23:32 - How Japanese culture influences people in London and around the world24:50 - Itinerary and work schedule while in Japan26:38 - Acting and dance class experiences in Japan27:29 - Experience and challenges with the Japanese language29:28 - Being perceived as a foreigner in Japan despite her heritage31:42 - How locals perceive foreigners across different parts of Asia34:16 - Why Tokyoites are serious while Osakans are chill and friendly36:38 - Mental health and self-expression in Japan39:24 - Andy shares his experience with Japanese people not answering questions directly41:45 - Daily life in Japan42:21 - Eating out in Japan is more affordable than buying groceries43:38 - Eating and grocery habits in Japan45:10 - Typical Japanese home-cooked meals47:25 - Experiences with haircuts in Japan and the UK48:23 - What led her to keep returning to Japan49:39 - Why it's important to stay aware of your surroundings in big cities in the UK and other countries51:09 - Raising kids in Japan versus in the UK52:43 - Cons of raising kids in Japan54:15 - How her Instagram grew from a fun hobby to professional content creation55:52 - What catalyzed her to start her Japan Instagram account57:15 - How she started receiving inbound requests for paid gigs on her Instagram account59:09 - Why she doesn’t care about using a 3-second hook in her IG59:54 - How an overly rigid itinerary can make your Japan trip less enjoyable1:01:47 - How she built an engaged community on Instagram through story interactions1:03:48 - How she creates her Instagram stories to engage with her community1:06:10 - What takes up most of her time in her work as a freelancer1:07:04 - Recent life discoveries1:08:24 - Career journey in acting and dance1:09:18 - How Lynne’s gymnastics background helped with her acting foundation1:10:40 - How she became more quirky after starting her acting career1:12:06 - Is being half-Asian an advantage or disadvantage in the acting industry?1:13:55 - Goal for the next 6 months1:15:27 - How she has made a diverse group of friends worldwide1:16:37 - Determination to be part of a movie that people will love to watch1:17:41 - How watching La La Land in concert further inspired her acting career1:18:55 - Connect with Lynne!1:19:43 - Outro