Hi, I’m Joanne Sun — a devoted food hunter, history nerd, accidental stargazer, and someone who believes the smallest details often carry the biggest truths.

I’ve worked in an AI Lab, grown up under the influence of business school logic, and spent time building worlds for a game company. Strangely enough, all of that only made me fall more in love with real life — the kind made of shared meals, spontaneous laughter, and unfiltered stories.

I’m the kind of person who will cross small town for the perfect lamb ribs, and then spend the whole evening inside a historical ruin, in the mountains, with a group of friends, some suspicious wine, and the strong belief that we would see ghosts of emperors.

And as the world becomes increasingly digital, fast, and fragmented, I believe even more in slow, human conversations — in real eye contact, shared silences, and cultural bridges built one genuine connection at a time.

That’s why I started Local Lenz. Not to “guide” people through China, but to offer travelers a way to really see it — through the eyes of locals, through everyday life, through moments that don’t show up in travel brochures.

Hi, I’m Yue Zhu — a designer, storyteller, musician, and street food hunter.

I studied Digital Media Technology and later earned a master’s in Interaction Design, which gave me tools to understand how people connect—both online and offline. After a stint in the design industry, I realized something important: meaningful human experiences don't always happen at a desk. ---- But endless meetings definitely do :)

That’s why I co-created Locallenz—a platform that helps international travelers experience China through the eyes of real locals. Whether it’s tracking down a hidden K-pop bar in Beijing or witnessing a panda’s poohing moments in Chengdu, I believe in human connection that goes beyond the lens of digital media.

This time, I’m putting my love for multilingual storytelling, itinerary design, and local authenticity into something bigger:

• Building bridges between cultures (instead of endlessly helping developers argue with product managers 😅)
• Design meaningful encounters (I believe life deserves a spring mountain view—not just a spring themed interface)
• Redefining travel success (believe it or not, I could convince a local cat to sit in your lap at a teahouse. Top-tier bonding.)

Let’s turn travel into connection. Welcome to China—seen through local eyes.