Detail oriented

SOUTH KOREA has shared a great deal of discussion about design in global events in and around Seoul over the past month.

The first function took place last month in Daegu, the nation’s third-largest city, with the theme of design as a means of improving the quality of life.

On the sidelines of Design Week in Daegu, local industries showcased products in public, medical and renewal design.

Experts said the Daegu event was a platform where local companies, academics and citizens met to recognise the creative power of design and create momentum to drive the growth of the local economy.

City officials hailed the event as an occasion to help highlight the city’s efforts to reposition itself from a “textile city” to a “design capital”. 

It was followed by the Herald Design Forum 2015 on the theme, “Design Platform Creates Value through Integration”.

The forum, the fifth of its kind and held in Seoul on November 10 and 11, saw world-leading designers and industry leaders –including Randi Zuckerberg, head of Zuckerberg Media, and Pixar co-founder Alvy Ray Smith – talking about their works in architecture, 3D printing, marketing and food. Other key participants included Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban and young entrepreneur Kim Ju-yoon, chief executive of Dot, a Seoul company that makes smartwatches for the blind.

Close on the heels of the Herald forum was DK 2015, the Design Korea fair that was held at Kintex in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province, from November 11 to 15.

Business deals amounting to $110 million were made or discussed on the sidelines of the event, which is organised by the state-run Korea Institute of Design Promotion.

KIDP officials said a total of 249 companies from across the world participated in the event, showcasing 2,000 products. The festival drew about 54,000 visitors, the largest turnout since its launch in 2003.

This was due to the large number of participating companies, as well as big buyers from China and Japan carrying out business consultations, the officials said.

Additionally, KIDP organised a matchmaking event for the first time this year, linking buyers with company products to help bring better business outcomes.

 “Design will lead the way in the future. Design Korea will grow as a design fair that lives up to such expectations,” said KIDP chief Jeong Yong-bin. “We will work hard to be a world-class business fair with the help of our global network and have Korean design stand.”

And there’s more to come. Seoul Design Week 2015 will kick off at venues including the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Convention and Exhibition Centre on December 2 for five days.

Hosted by the Seoul government and Seoul Design Foundation, Seoul Design Week will also have festivals where student designers and entrepreneurs can showcase their brands, and exhibitions where visitors can catch the latest and future of innovative design products.