Authentic Korean design is having a moment: designers

Authentic Korean design is having a moment, but it is time to take the next step, according to the five creative leaders at a conference held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on Thursday.

What may seem like familiar scenery in Seoul could become a fresh source of inspiration for designers, reaching global audiences through city planning, merchandise, marketing and sales products.

"Try getting in a kayak and paddle to the center of the Han River. Once you get there, Seoul looks like a completely different city," Yoo Hyun-joon, an architect and professor at Hongik University, said at the conference.

Titled "Seoul, a New Source of Inspiration: Inside-Out — Stories Born in Seoul," the conference brought together speakers from different fields, spanning architecture and public administration to lifestyle and consumer trends.

Yoo joined as a speaker alongside Lee Ji-hyun, special adviser to the mayor of Seoul; Park So-hee, founder and creative director of Heenok; Kim Byung-ki, CEO of Fritz Co.; and Park Jae-hyun, CEO of Seoul Morning Coffee Club.

Now with growing global interest in Seoul, fueled in part by Netflix and Korean drama series, new opportunities are now open for young creative designers to reinterpret the city and find inspiration in places and scenes, according to Yoo.

"To us, a familiar back alley may look messy, like something that needs to be redeveloped. But to foreigners, it reminds them of the romance they associate with the series 'My Mister,'" he said. "A new era has arrived, with foreigners taking interest in the city, and Seoul's landscaping is changing."

Drawing on memories and references familiar to older generations, Fritz Co. has developed designs inspired by vintage Korean newspaper advertisements and everyday items such as games, glass cups and T-shirts.

"When we approached one of the few thermos companies still operating in Korea about producing merchandise, the response was, 'Why are you making thermos merchandise in the era of tumblers?'" Kim said during his speech.

"Everything about these felt authentically Korean," he added, saying that such a sense of authenticity has been a core principle the company values.

Looking ahead, Kim is open to capturing what is happening in Korea today and reflecting that into future projects.

"There is a distinct definition of 'Korea' that resonates with the new generation," Kim said, adding that the company is open to exploring new trends that make something "Korean."

One recent example is Fritz Co.'s own line of key rings, which taps into the popularity of the accessories among younger Koreans.

"What we do in Korea could become something that businesses across industries recognize as authentically Korean," he said.