The work is titled <Sphere>. <Sphere> is a piece that stubbornly collects fragments and remnants of materials that were discarded after being processed during years of carrying out projects as a designer. While I create new things by recycling materials discarded by various brands and companies, I’ve realized that even these actions might not be beneficial from a global perspective, and I aim to explore true sustainability.

I wasn’t particularly interested in environmental pollution or such issues. While creating upcycling works and meeting many environmental experts, I found myself thinking about the environment in many aspects. And whether it’s artwork or products, I insist that something is ‘beautiful’ only when it’s stripped down significantly in form. That’s because the story and message contained within are more critical.

These are panels made by upcycling empty Amorepacific containers. Following Amorepacific’s suggestion, we used the sheet press method to minimize environmental pollution. Sheet pressing is a technique that applies pressure and heat for a certain period to induce bonding between materials. These upcycled panels are used in various ways, such as spatial finishing materials, furniture, and objects.

I hope people won’t be too hostile toward plastic. Plastic is one of humanity’s finest inventions. The problem is that we use too much and throw away too much. Instead, I hope we can consciously continue to reduce our usage, even if just by a little.

<Layered Bench> is a piece made from flakes of crushed plastic cosmetic containers collected by Amorepacific. It’s also on display at OSULLOC. I hope visitors will take a moment to sit on this bench, look at nature, and discover new aesthetic value in how artificial things can become one with nature.

Too many things in the world are used once and thrown away. It saddens me to see how things lose their vitality and are forgotten by people just because they’ve been used. In fact, they could become resources with a tiny change in perspective.
I felt guilty about being someone who creates waste, but my work is meaningful in that it slows down the speed at which things end up in landfills.

<Inner Light> is made of paper, like my previous works. It’s a piece that reinterprets the structural beauty of furniture as lighting, expressing hidden formativeness and functionality through light.

Furniture is more than just an object—it’s about designing the time people spend with it. I believe furniture finds its true meaning in functionality and practicality and in reflecting contemporary trends, culture, and social issues while offering solutions.

I collected discarded uniforms from the HERA Department Store that were replaced with new designs and created upcycled goods such as pouches and headbands.

These days, people immediately return clothes if they’re even slightly dissatisfied. There’s nothing wrong with returns, but seeing how easily clothes are bought and discarded, I realized it isn’t easy to maintain respect between consumers and makers. I hope this exhibition becomes an opportunity for people to think about products they want to keep and use for longer.