Hello, I’m illustrator Seoyoung Kwon. My work navigates the boundary between the everyday and the imaginary, drawing out unfamiliar emotions from familiar landscapes. At the heart of my practice is capturing the small narratives hidden in scenes people pass by without notice, and visually expressing the subtle balance and temperature that exists within them.

This piece visualizes “beauty where tradition and modernity coexist.” I’ve always been drawn to moments when traditional culture is reinterpreted and naturally woven into everyday life. You know those scenes—someone in sneakers walking through a hanok alley, or street fashion paired with hanbok—when sensibilities from different eras create an unexpected harmony? I wanted to capture that strangeness that somehow feels just right.

So I chose “the House of Sulwhasoo” as the setting—a space where the beauty of traditional hanok architecture coexists with modern sensibility. I depicted a woman in a hanbok alongside contemporary objects such as headphones and a keyring. Through this, I aimed to express a scene in which generations and time periods blend naturally.

The beauty I envision begins in moments when sensibilities from the past bloom again in today’s language. I’ve woven throughout my work this aesthetic of connection—created through the layering of time and the addition of change. I’d be thrilled if you discover those moments of connection in the piece.

Amorepacific’s commitment to beauty that endures through the passage of time really resonated with me. I believe beauty isn’t something entirely new, but instead begins with a fresh perspective on what we already know. Preserving traditional values while adding contemporary sensibility, maintaining an approach that doesn’t chase trends—that’s where actual newness lives. When you add variation to something old and shine new light on it, unexpected beauty can emerge.

It’s been a pleasure to explore the connection between tradition and modernity alongside a company that has long pursued the essence of beauty. I felt particularly aligned with Sulwhasoo’s philosophy of “new beauty where diversity coexists,” which resonates with the themes I explore in my work.

One’s own beauty is the natural grain that reveals itself without forced embellishment. It’s about staying true to what genuinely suits you rather than following trends. That’s the kind of beauty that endures.

I make a point of consciously pausing once a day. On sunny days, I go outside and observe the direction of light, the colors of trees, and the movement of shadows. During these moments, new things catch my eye, and ideas spark as they mix with what already interests me. As this time accumulates, the density and color palette of my work gradually shift. For me, it’s like a small mechanism that enables new attempts.

Beauty isn’t something special that exists far away—it’s refined and blossoms from our everyday lives and inner thoughts. Please keep your eyes open to sensibilities that don’t fade with time, looking at them in new ways. That’s where “new beauty” begins.