They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and so does graphic design. Graphic design is your lifeline—it’s the body which also functions as a soul to your businesses and projects because it is an impression.
Graphic design is meant to establish a particular look on something may it be business, brands, or something close to that. It defines personality without giving much details.
The industry of graphic design in Korea is very young, confident, vibrant, and introspective. They shaped not only the rising businesses present, but also changed the norm since Korea also thrives in the art industry. The country’s historical and geopolitical contexts shaped graphic design culture and created a unique way of expressing.
Here are the graphic designers who made a name for themselves in the field of graphic design:
SULKI & MIN
Choi Sulki and Choi Sung Min are graphic designers based in South Korea and their works focus on the foundation of prominent clients including The National Museum of Modern Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul Museum of Art, Asia Culture Center, BMW Guggenhein Lab, Munhakdongne, and Mass Studies. Their design style is best-described as clear and slightly unpredictable because visual transitions can be seen inside the process and when things go like that, it loses its thrill.
They mostly work for cultural institutions such as galleries and theaters, work with writers, curators, and different types of creatives in any field.
SHIN DOKHO
Shin Dokho has been working as a freelance graphic designer since 2017. He is known for having a distinct style of expression through typography which brings forth texture and movement.
He has a very intriguing portfolio as he puts together lettering and layouts in the most unique way possible. He incorporates shapes and colors that match and gives an end game of a minimalistic type of design. He enjoys collaborating with typographers and clients with a very peculiar taste in art.
NA KIM
Na Kim is a designer based in Seoul and Berlin and has been working as an award-winning designer and teacher. Her style revolves around vibrant visuals and splendid outputs that shows the subtle mix of both graphic design and fine arts. Kim’s work was also exhibited in variety of places including Belgium, New York, and Beijing. The definite style he has is a definition of abstract that goes to places—something more tangible.
Her creative process in having a subject is finding out something that is very elemental in the daily life but with more visual elements.
AHN GRAPHICS
Ahn Sang So is a Seoul-based graphic designer who is very popular because of his clients in range of institutions such as Cultural Heritage of Korea, Buyeo National Museum, and Soongil University. Other than that, his works were globally recognized by brands we’re all familiar with like Nike, Asiana Airlines, and Honda.
He established his name in 1985 and is currently holding a particular publishing house with four main departments: design, digital, media, and publishing. Ahn Sang So is known not only as a graphic designer but also the leading South Korean typographic designer.
HONG x KIM
Hong Eunjoo and Kim Hyungjae have been working together as graphic designers circa 2011. They run a publishing platform called G&Press—which produces Gazzazapi and Domino (magazines) and experimental artists’ books. Aside from being designers, Hong and Kim are both mentors of graphic design in different universities in South Korea.
This duo has partnered on different projects including urban research, art & publishing, and exhibition design. Their styles mainly focus on more neutral backgrounds and a clean type of typography.
