| WHAT: visual identity | MATERIAL: paper, fabric, wood, video | CLIENT: Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul | TEAM: Sungbo Shim | LOCALIZATION: Seoul | YEAR: 2024 |
A Poetic Fusion of Korean Soul and Italian Design.
The Korean pronunciation for Seoul recalls the English word “soul.” This inspired me to infuse a Korean essence into the designs for the Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul: leaflets, bookmarks, notepads, and ecobags. Inspired by the final use of each product, I aimed to find a harmonious blend between the two cultures, highlighting their unique qualities while celebrating their commonalities. This journey explores monuments, historical figures, and icons of art and literature where Italy and Korea reflect each other, intertwining their stories.
Leaflet: The carved shape of the Colosseum reveals and hosts one of the most important and visited historic palaces in Seoul, Gyeongbokgung.
Bookmark: The iconic inclination of the Tower of Pisa merges with the verticality of the Namsan Tower.
Notepad: The ‘I’ in Italic font reveals the overlapping profiles of Dante and King Sejong, the fathers of their respective languages.
Ecobag: Like a canvas, it features graphic elements typical of Italian textile art and Korean decorative art, illustrated in black on a white background.
| MOODBOARD: Cultural exchange, korean soul, italian icons. |