We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Junsoo Choi ("JC").
When I think of a design, I think it should go beyond simple styling and capture the user's convenience and the intention of the creator who developed it. Of course, design is important for its appearance, its styling. Also, I think it's good to have a witty design that expresses the designer's brilliant idea well. Such things are good if they are added incidentally in a situation where the user's convenience and the manufacturer's intention are well met. Among the many unique designers in the world, I tend to value functionality and user-friendliness. If the above two important conditions are met, it would be nice to naturally add to it the pursuit of fun.
Junsoo Choi Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Junsoo Choi.
Junsoo Choi Design - Jinaga Subway Pass
Designer Interview of Junsoo Choi:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
JC : I started art from a very young age. While choosing a career path in high school, the final decision was design. I think that was in 1998. I went to design college in 2001 and graduated in 2008. After that, I entered the design industry and have been engaged in design ever since. Maybe it's a vocation. I've never really thought about why I should do it.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
JC : Our studio does the very basics. The client specifies the desired direction and shapes the image. We try to come up with ideal and unique designs as much as possible without departing from the market square desired by the client. We design from very small products to very large industrial devices. We have offices located in Seoul, South Korea.
DI: What is "design" for you?
JC : This is the visual result. Design is the entire process of visible light hitting the surface of a product, being reflected, and entering the optic nerve.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
JC : I love the product designs of Dieter Rams, Jonathan Ive, and Naoto Fukusawa. I also like the works of Henri Matisse.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
JC : I like product design the most, but if I had to combine all types of designs to pick one design, I would pick the design of the Porsche 911 produced in the 1986s as the best.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
JC : I did stationery design for the first time in 2008. It was a pad that applied ink to stamp.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
JC : Aluminum / Google / Cutting and processing technology
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
JC : Suddenly, I feel that when I move somewhere.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
JC : The visual effect of styling and the distribution of materials. A lot depends on the quality of the product.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
JC : I'm happy when it's finished, but I feel a lot of fatigue and pain during the process.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
JC : I think that it would be nice to be loved by consumers and used for a long time.
DI: What makes a design successful?
JC : Intensive research on product characteristics
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
JC : A lot of attention is paid to the balance of product design. If that is satisfied, see if there is an individual aspect.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
JC : Making the world visually more beautiful and complete?
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
JC : I think a lot of evolution is happening very quickly. There are also concerns that artificial intelligence will automatically design in the future. But you have to work hard, right?
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
JC : The ISPO exhibition in Germany in 2013 was the last. Currently, I am only concentrating on design work, but if I get a chance, I would like to promote the company and go to a design fair.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
JC : I think a lot about transportation. When studying the structure of a product, there are cases where it flows naturally. The source of inspiration seems to be the function of the product.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
JC : There is no specific style. It seems that this or that style is applied according to the needs and trends of various clients. Also, since I have to respect the individuality of my team members, my style seems to be blurring even more. I approach features first. I think styling is next.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
JC : I live in Seoul, Korea. The cultural environment of the country in which I live may influence my design unknowingly, but I am not aware of it.
DI: How do you work with companies?
JC : Keeping in touch with clients and reporting on progress. Get feedback on it.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
JC : The most important is the designer's portfolio. And I think the distribution of work intensity is important. The only way to choose a good designer is their portfolio.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
JC : I think it's like a normal process. We conduct market research, analyze problems or strengths, define concepts, proceed with ideas, and receive confirmation after idea sketch modeling and rendering. After that, it can be said that it is preparation for CMF management and mass production.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
JC : 1. Leather sofa 2. Car 3. Lighting 4. Chair 5. Other (instrument)
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
JC : yes. Wake up in the morning, take a shower, and anticipate the day's work ahead of time. Then go to work and live a busy life.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
JC : It's okay to do it slowly, so I want to tell you to do it for a long time. And when you explode, I want to tell you to explode strongly.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
JC : strengths : I can meet the products I designed in the world. weaknesses : Work and daily life are not separated.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
JC : I don't think there is a set Gold Rule.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
JC : change. visual sensitivity.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
JC : I mainly use Rhino and Keyshot.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
JC : I'm thinking of focusing on getting it done quickly. Even if it takes a long time, it can't be a big deal. Ultimately, the accumulation of time determines quality.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
JC : If it's short, it takes 1 week late, and it takes 3 months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
JC : I'm not sure because I rarely get questions.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
JC : I think the most important professional experience is to go to mass production after the design is finalized.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
JC : They are owners of various product manufacturers.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
JC : We are a company specializing in product design. I design most of the products such as home appliances.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
JC : Winning the A Design Award and growing a design company to the fullest. I haven't thought of the next step yet.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
JC : We are working as a team.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
JC : I'm designing a pen for an electronic blackboard, and I'm looking forward to it.
DI: How can people contact you?
JC : email : u2mjj@nate.com / phone : +82 (0)10 2902 6877
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
JC : The questions are very broad. I want to make it this far.