Hello. I'm Tagtraum, an illustrator who brings warm, storybook worlds (the kind that feel like they could exist somewhere just out of reach) to life through moving pictures. True to my artist name, which means ‘daydream’ in German, I hope my work offers you a joyful escape: the feeling of setting off on a delightful adventure, just beyond the edges of everyday life.

A. I heard that Amorepacific's architecture carries a philosophy of exploring new beauty and building a better future. It struck me as a space open to everyone: a place where all kinds of people can freely experience and exchange inspiration and beauty. To express these values visually, I imagined the creative research space of Amorepacific's R&I Center as a gathering place. In this beautiful scene, the animals and people of traditional Korean minhwa come together for a picnic. Through this image of different beings coexisting freely and without prejudice, I tried to capture what Amorepacific means by ‘Create New Beauty.’

For the second piece, I worked with Mizium, the research building within the R&I Center, as my backdrop. I was told that Mizium carries two meanings: ‘a place of wisdom in pursuit of beauty’ and ‘creating new beauty by challenging uncharted dreams.’ I tried to recreate the fantastical scene that unfolds when you look outward from inside Mizium.

A. What struck me most was the idea that Amorepacific is building a New Beauty that transcends the boundaries of age, culture, and gender, so that anyone can discover their own form of beauty. In my own artwork, animals and plants, the real and the unreal, all coexist without borders. My vision of beauty is exactly that: something that shines in the uniqueness of each individual, beyond the lines of age, culture, or gender. It felt like what I try to say through my work was perfectly aligned with what Amorepacific stands for, which made this collaboration feel all the more special.

A. I start from a pleasant daydream, then carefully paint each element that comes to mind, one by one, in watercolor. As I apply each brushstroke with a gaze full of affection for my subject, the piece gradually takes shape in my own warm, emotive palette.

A. The message that runs through all of my work is ‘coexistence.’ Set aside the lens of prejudice and look at the paintings with an open heart. The animals within become friends; walking plants break free from social conventions and live joyfully, each expressing their own individuality. I hope that viewers, too, will find within this prejudice-free harmony something they can call ‘a beauty that is uniquely their own.’

A. When I visited the Amorepacific building, I was deeply captivated by the beauty of the space itself. The refined atmosphere and deliberate negative space within the building naturally drew me into deep reflection, leaving me with the impression that it was an environment where creative inspiration could truly take root. I felt honored to collaborate with Amorepacific, a brand that offers such a high level of inspiration, and I put my whole heart into rendering that beauty in my paintings. Through this opportunity, I was also delighted to learn about the many different spaces Amorepacific has across Korea — not just the headquarters, but also its locations in Yongin, Osan, and Jeju.

A. I think it might be a self-directed attitude: knowing what you love and moving toward it. I sometimes find that I don't know what I like or which direction to go, and in those moments, I write my thoughts freely in a notebook. As I put my subconscious onto the page, I find myself facing my own inner voice with clarity, understanding what I need to do and how to do it. I believe it's only when we first fill our inner selves with health and wholeness that we can truly begin to find what makes us uniquely ourselves.

A. If you're not quite sure what you love, why not try giving yourself just 10 minutes a day, wholly and presently, just for you? Every morning, I open my notebook and ask: “What made the younger me happy — the one who didn't care what anyone thought?” Through that question, I slowly rediscover a part of myself I had forgotten. I truly hope you'll take the time to find the things your heart leans toward, the things you genuinely love. Build on that, day by day, and before you know it, you'll meet ‘your own beauty’: radiant, strong, and wholly your own. I'm always cheering you on in your own delightful adventure.