ddp design fair

You`re joining us again this year, do you have any new expectations? With the final number of exhibiting teams reduced from 120 to 60 compared to last year, it allowed us to be selective and focused and there is a lot to look forward to. Expectations of what products would have been developed after the mentoring week, expectations of the exhibition space and so on. However, a piece of advice for those participating, there’s not enough time to prepare during the fair. So if you prepare thoroughly before applying, you can focus more on coming up with a good product without being rushed.  You talked about how disappointed you were with the exhibit space last year.Last year, we had a large number of products, but it was pointed out that it was too product-focused. It felt more like a store than an exhibition. We can`t show the whole process of making, but this year, we will try to communicate with the audience by telling the stories behind each product, and we will leave a space between the products so that you can enjoy the time to appreciate them. The exhibition space itself is smaller this year, but it is the role of the curator to organize it efficiently.What are some of the things you`ve emphasized when mentoring?We talked a lot about the value of the product, because at the end of the day, it`s all leading to the same conclusion, which is to convince the consumer to buy the product that the designer and the maker have created together. And in order to do that, the product has to have a commodity value. It has to make them feel proud of having a product that has value, not just the desire to own it. We didn`t tell them to do this or to do that, because it`s up to them to figure out how to add value. In that sense, we picked the best activity teams from the last fair, and they are a good example of how to capture product value. If they hadn`t captured the value, the sales would have been low. The fact that they are expanding their distribution and scale based on their sales shows that this year`s teams have potential.  You`ve given us strong praise and a sneak peek at what`s to come at the fair.I think the overall vibe is similar to last year, but the details are tighter. Some teams have already participated in the fair more than once, so I think they`ve gotten the hang of it. Last year, there were some products that were only partially complete, but now I was surprised to see so many almost finished products with enhanced details. There was also a pleasant sense of competition with the appearance of products that looked ready to sell. 

Welcome to your partnership with DDP as a designer and marketer!I collaborate with DDP on various projects, and as a curator, I have a lot of respect for the DDP Design Launching Fair, and seeing it evolve year after year, I feel a sense of pride. However, despite all the publicity, I`m a little disappointed that the participation rate is a little low. I`m looking forward to more active participation next year.Do you have any ideas of your own for increasing engagement? Active participation requires active support. In addition to financial support, we need to ensure the autonomy of designers and actively embrace their creative side, so that they can naturally contribute to the national industry. Of course, I don`t think that the system can be created in one go. It`s difficult, but it`s something that many people are aware of, so I`m sure it will change gradually, little by little.What would your advice be for product makers?If you`re not doing fine art, you`re doing it for money or to make money, so you have to be flexible and accepting. In my case, when I`m commissioned by a brand, I focus on how I can help the brand make more money, and of course, I run into a lot of barriers along the way, but I think you have to be flexible and accepting of other people`s opinions. This advice can also be applied to trend collaboration with AI: as a tool, AI can be very helpful, but the ideas and the planning behind it can only be done by humans, so you have to enjoy collaborating with AI. You have to be a designer and a marketer and see the direction, and even if you don`t like the systemic elements of AI, you can`t be the only one going backwards or stagnating when the whole world is going in that direction. You could say it’s the attitude needed as a designer in these fast-paced and diverse times.I`m often surprised when I go to a cafe in a big city, let alone Seoul, the owner is not even a design major, but they have so much sense. So designers nowadays have to be really alert, because the days of it working by just being pretty are over, and you have to always be accompanied by the words “different” or “unexpected”. In a way, you`ve jumped into the big competitive sea of the design game, you might as well try to win while you’re at it.  What does "valuable partnership“ mean to you?I worked on a project for young adults who have to leave an orphanage when they turn 18 because their state protection ends. I remodeled the space where they live temporarily for free, and I hope they don`t just stay in a nice space, but receive healing and positive energy to take their first steps into society. I`m thinking of remodeling for senior citizens as well, hoping to make it a regular event instead of a one-off. As a designer who believes in the power of space, I think it`s a worthwhile endeavor. 

Your first time as a launching curator. Welcome.​I am very excited to meet designers, small business owners, and various brands that I did not know about when thinking about what products to sell and how to sell them in the retail space as part of my work. Having been a visitor until last year, I am amazed at how much effort and hard work goes into the DDP Design Launching Fair, and I feel a great deal of responsibility as a launching curator. I would like to consider the consumer`s point of view and have a pleasant partnership with the selected brands until the end of the fair. I`m also curious about the brands you screened.When I heard the theme of "Valuable Partnership", I tried to think of products or brands that fit the theme. Regardless of the size of the brand, it has to fit the purpose of the fair and be something that consumers can immediately relate to, so I chose products that use sustainable materials and are useful in real life. Among them is a brand that made an incense holder in the form of a moon jar, and the story behind it made me slap my knee. It is made from oyster shells, a waste product that is discarded in Tongyeong and Geoje Island, but I think it has global competitiveness with a beautiful sculpture that flows with our traditional beauty in a modern way. I am looking forward to seeing how it will look to the general public through the fair exhibition.  If you have any thoughts on the products introduced through the matching platform, please share.It was a lot of fun to see “offbeat” products made by designers and makers. It`s one thing to see quirky ideas and flexible craftsmanship commercialized and displayed at a fair, but it`s another thing to see how users actually use them. It would be great to hear feedback from people who bought products at the fair and incorporate that feedback into the next fair. You`ve seen a lot of products, what`s your definition of a good product?Products that are heavily influenced by other people`s opinions, such as being fashionable or being considered the best, are not necessarily more satisfying. As consumers have become more discerning, we need to create products that fit their needs... I think a good product is one that contains originality, because only then can it last for a long time. In a world full of copies, it is important to strive to create a style of your own. 

This is your second year with us, what`s different from last year?Each year, the level of completeness at the prototype stage is growing. There were some products that I had doubts about when I first participated and judged, but now the participating designers and makers have understood the intention of the fair. They have realized that they can`t apply to the DDP Design Launching Fair with so-called flimsy products. There are many more products that through the team’s collective efforts, have reached the level needed which is a pleasant difference.We`d love to hear your thoughts on launching curation. It`s more of a suggestion than a criticism, but I think we should move forward in the form of “discovery”. Even though the DDP Design Launching Fair has become a famous fair, it`s not as easy as it sounds to apply for it, and there are still many hidden gems. I think it`s time for full support through discovery, through selection and focus, not through an application process.I think that doesn’t only apply to launching curation. Exactly. I think it would be great if it could also be applied to designer and maker collaborations, where curators find teams and mentor them intensively to elevate their products. I think such products could be globalized. Are there any brands you`ve fallen in love with that have a unique way of looking at products?There is a lighting brand that I`m considering selling in my store, and I have to give them a standing ovation for their table lamps. It`s a product that can be compared to table lights from world-renowned brands, and it has the perfect combination of function and design. I think it`s a product that encompasses not only current lifestyles but also the future.What is a valuable partnership to you?For me, a valuable partnership is not only about choosing a worthy product, but also about being able to give value to the product. I think that once you add value to a product, you can keep it with you longer and cherish it more. It gives consumers a sense of why they should buy it, not just because it`s expensive or famous, but why they should buy it regardless of price and recognition. As person selling a product, the product and value is the valuable partnership to me. 

You`ve just finished reviewing the launching products.I think the vibe is a little bit more remarkable, and you can see that we`ve really focused on it through a solid story and context. Whereas just a few years ago, there were a lot of products that were just an experiment, now each step from idea to production has been solidified, and now they have the qualities of a standalone brand product, so I think they would be able to stand tall anywhere.Very positive. Not to compare, but is it a lot different than last year?Now that the pandemic is over, we`re able to do this fair in a much freer atmosphere than last year. I think the pandemic has a lot to do with the intensive branding that we`re able to do this year. It`s a new way of looking at life where you don`t see everything as negative and you find positivity in it. I think the effort to focus and look back at your life and delete what you don`t need and find “what” is practical but you can see and enjoy has been applied to both designers and makers who make products.   As a launching curator, what’s your standard when screening?I tried to look at it from the perspective of a consumer who is choosing a product that they want to buy and use, such as thinking, "What would it be like to have this in my home? What would it be like to use this?". Because a product is only valuable when it is used in someone`s space or in their hands. We focused on brands and products that are consistent with ESG, considering people, the environment, and ethical aspects, and that can make everyone happy and not just focused on one value. I hear you`ve met some familiar brands too.At last year`s fair, I was surprised and delighted to see a brand that made a product I had bought myself participating. It was a brand that seemed to have a lot of potential, and I wasn`t wrong. This year, they participated with new products, and I hope that more users and companies will hear their story through the Design Launching Fair. I think connecting brands and companies is another important role of the fair.  What advice do you have for the fifth Design Launching Fair?I think it`s at a “stage” where it’s going through various processes before it reaches completion, and as many people are trying to make an impactful and attractive fair, we have to take the criticism with a grain of salt. First of all, I want the theme to be free, out of the box, because I think we live in an era of diversity that is full of individuality and individual tastes, and if we try to fit into a narrow theme, we can only create designs or products inside that limit. Also, I would like to say to the participants of the fair that they should make something that can be shared with life, that can naturally be a part of life. If it is far from our lives, it is bound to become a useless thing that is easily forgotten and that disappears. I am enjoying thinking about making something that can be used for a long time, something that people don’t get tired of looking at every day, by identifying exactly what we need while going through our daily lives. 

You have started your journey with the fair as a Launching Curator!  Having worked with DDP on several projects, I have always agreed with their multifaceted approach to design, so I was happy to participate this time. Last year, I enjoyed watching as a spectator, but this year, participating as a curator gave me a lot to seriously consider and think about. Firstly, what was your role in the fair?It`s my job to bring studios or brands that are like hidden gems and that I`m personally interested in and have my eye on, to the surface so that more people know about them. I don`t want them to be forgotten just because they don`t have a place to showcase them as they have already made such good products. As you go through the curation process, do you have any advice about the system?In Asia, South Korea is the only country that offers such a large amount of support for design. This is something I've learned from interacting with designers from various countries in Asia. However, I wonder if it`s better to focus on quality rather than quantity, i.e., to support the most promising studios or brands rather than supporting a lot of them. It`s true that more studios are supported through the fair, as it is funded by taxes, but that`s both an advantage and a disadvantage.  How do you see the current status of Korean design, where design-related support is high?There`s no doubt that interest in Korean design has increased, and as Korea`s soft power has grown, so has the curiosity about K-design, and my studio has been receiving more inquiries about collaborations and requests for studio tours. However, there is a lack of iconic star designs and designers that come to people’s mind when you think of Korea, so we’re not at the level where it would make you jump on a plane and fly to Korea for design.What do you think the fair should be doing going forward?Right now, DDP selects designers and makers based on the application requirements, but in the future, I think it should be such an attractive fair that designers and makers choose the DDP Design Launching Fair among many fairs. For that, the fair itself should be based on diversity and expand the door of opportunity wider and wider. In terms of fairness and equity, it is true that we need to create a framework of application requirements or eligibility requirements, but if we are too confined to that framework, we will encounter limitations.If you have any personal suggestions, we’d love to hear them.Along with a festival concept that everyone can enjoy, why not utilize this wonderful space called DDP as a sustainable exhibition space? Create a small space to introduce products or designs and give one new designer per month a chance to promote themselves for a total of 12 new designers per year. Along with sustainable design, I am sure that a sustainable promotion platform would be a good tool to raise the capacity of Korean design.  

After the fair, what was the reaction when you proposed the product? The response was less strong than expected. I think the Tea Garden Rug didn't get a lot of traction at first because it's more of a relaxing, tranquil tea plantation look than a striking design. But as the sales increased, so did the satisfaction, and it became a best seller. What did it take to get the word out about the new rug?From the time we kicked off the Tea Garden Rug Project at the DDP Design Launching Fair until the launch of the product, we created content and showed it on various channels. The stories about why we started the project, our deliberations about the design, and how we created it together, made for great marketing material. As time went on, users naturally realized the value that a tea garden rug can add to an interior space and started to spread the word. A good match has led to a good product, what’s the next step?Many people still want to see the products in person, and they're more beautiful in person. Next year, we'll be opening a brick-and-mortar showroom, and we'll have a display that tells the story of the Tea Garden rug. In addition, we plan to expand our product lineup by utilizing the pattern design of the rug.What is the DDP Design Launching Fair to likethix and BEFORMATIVE?At likethix, our business model is that brands and designers should grow together as partners. Going beyond the idea that brands are clients and designers are workers, we believe that the growth of brands and designers as partners, maximizing each other's strengths, will have a great impact on the design industry in Korea. We believe that the DDP Design Launching Fair is a fair that fits this idea very well. We believe that the products created by designers and brands together will allow us to walk side by side with the brand without leaving out the designer's name, and create heritage over time, and the DDP Design Launching Fair is the starting point for this growth.  

Your relationship with the DDP Design Launching Fair continues with the Best Activity Award! The DDP Design Launching Fair is like a birthday that comes around once a year for designers and makers who want to share their products with the world. Nami Furniture and H.O.U Design received the gift of being in the final exhibition team the year we participated as a matched team, and this year we received the gift of the Best Activity Award. Is it too much to say it’s a gift in return? We will also try to move forward and expand instead of staying in the present. We hope that the DDP Design Launching Fair, which heard our stories and brought us out of the shadows, will continue like now.What were the challenges of distributing and selling your product? We were able to get a lot of interest through our exhibition at the DDP Design Launching Fair. At that time, we were greedy to do a lot of things using this opportunity, but it took time to open a store that sells our main product, Heim Cat Tower, and we couldn't keep the initial interest going. This was the most regretful thing, and it was difficult to get us back on the original trajectory. How have consumers responded to your products on online and offline store platforms? There was a lot of shared interest from customers for the idea, "How can we create a space where we can coexist with our pets? I think due to the rising standards of consumers and changes in their living environments it resonated with them. To get more realistic feedback, we regularly participate in platforms such as the fair every year to make direct contact with consumers and get their feedback.I'm curious about your approach to PR and marketing.As the Heim Cat Tower is a pretty but practical product for small spaces, we suggested collaborating to people who have difficulty living with their cats due to small spaces, and the promotion effect was very good. Sales surged due to reviews that reflected their high satisfaction from using the product. It was cost-effective because we targeted people who had the environment to use our product well, not just focusing on the number of followers they had. Tell us about your plans for the future.We have received many inquiries asking why we don't make dog furniture if we specialized in cat furniture, so we have newly launched a staircase dog furniture that follows the design of the 'Heim Series'. Also, we are preparing a slide type as there have been constant requests for products that cats can jump on. In the future, we plan to introduce additional products such as toys, curtains, and fabric products so that you can fill a room with the HOWOODESIGN product lineup.