Herald Design Lounge offers fresh perspectives on creativity, AI

From design professionals to aspiring students, attendees of the 2026 Herald Design Lounge found fresh ideas to bring back to their projects and studies.

Held on Friday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul under the theme “Beyond Visuals,” the event brought together some 400 creators working in graphic design, architecture and artificial intelligence. Visitors heard about how established designers and artists approach their work, giving them new ways to think about their own work.

Lee Jung-min, a 46-year-old interior designer, came to hear graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister. She was struck by his use of data visualization to present a hopeful view of the future.

“His presentation offered a counterpoint to the negative stories circulating on social media. It also prompted reflection on the skepticism that can shape everyday design decisions,” she told The Korea Herald.

“We often ask ourselves, ‘Will people like this?’ or assume clients won’t understand,” Lee said. “Perhaps we should have more confidence in our ability to win people over and trust that they may be more open to our ideas than we think.”

Yoon Dae-kwon, 35, who works on building exteriors, said the talks explored the subjects in greater depth than he had expected.

Though he did not major in design, the AI presentations resonated with his experience working with design firms that use the technology.

“The design firms we work with also use AI tools. What caught my attention was that even as the tools we use become more advanced, the results can vary widely depending on who uses them and how,” he said.

Lee Ji-eun, 17, a student at Yale Design High School who hopes to become a designer, was particularly interested in the panel discussion. The speakers’ differing perspectives stood out to her, especially their discussion of how science could help explore questions in philosophy and the humanities.

The conversation led her to reflect on the kind of designer she wants to become.

“I need to decide what I want to pursue and how I want to use AI,” Lee said.