Designers in Seoul
Designers in Tokyo
Designers in Taipei
Column Four
Shin Shin is Shin Haeok and Shin Donghyeok, a graphic design studio based in Seoul, Korea. They both studied at Dankook University and Haeok graduated from the Yale School of Art with an MFA in Graphic Design in 2018. They have worked together in the fields of art and culture area, collaborating in partnership with curators, editors, artists and institutions since 2008.
They are continuing in parallel with self-initiated projects as well as participating in various exhibitions, while teaching at Universities and synchronizing their interest with students.
In 2020, they set up their own publisher, Hwawon, as an imprint of Mediabus to focus on the performative aspect of design practice in which design methodology crystallizes into the structure and materiality of an object.
Taiwan's design culture integrates influences from diverse cultures, including Chinese, Japanese, Western, and indigenous elements, creating a unique and multifaceted style. Additionally, Taiwanese designers emphasize refinement and intricacy, often incorporating local cultural elements such as temple fairs, calligraphy, and traditional crafts into their designs, highlighting cultural heritage. The design industry in Taiwan is closely linked with the technology sector, demonstrating competitiveness in UI/UX design and smart product design. These characteristics may not be fully understood or recognized internationally. Furthermore, Taiwanese design is often influenced by social and political contexts, reflecting concerns about issues such as the environment and local identity.
In Poland after World War II, many designers were active in creating graphic symbols. Due to specific political conditions, these projects could be much more free and artistic than in the West. Besides the Polish poster, it is the graphic symbol that is particularly noteworthy when it comes to design in Poland.
As someone who studied design at a university in Korea, I’ve observed that there are a vast number of design schools in the country. Considering Korea's population size, the number of design graduates is quite substantial. I find this to be an interesting fact when it comes to understanding the Korean design scene.
The typsetting is unique. The ability to use hiragana, katakana, kanji, and alphanumeric characters in both vertical and horizontal writing is, we feel, unique in Japanese design culture.