Hello, I’m Ryepe, an illustrator. I express invisible fantasies through vibrant colors and dreamlike settings, bringing imagined worlds into visual form. My work encompasses book covers and interior illustrations, animation and media art, exhibitions, and a range of other fields.

I depicted Seoul’s cityscape, centered on the AMOREPACIFIC headquarters, in both day and night as a fusion of Eastern paintings. I wanted to blend traditional sensibilities with urban life to capture the essence of Korean beauty. The daytime piece embodies the bright energy of ‘yang,’ while the nighttime piece holds the depth of ‘yin,’ expressing the balance between them.

I also wanted to showcase the architecturally renowned AMOREPACIFIC building beyond its exterior, extending into its interior spaces. I envisioned the building’s courtyard as a window through which K-beauty reaches the world. By reflecting the harmony of yin and yang in the day and night scenes, I created landscape paintings that metaphorically evoke the Korean flag.

I’ve mainly worked with Eastern paintings based on traditional landscape styles, so naturally I drew heavily from those elements. When thinking about Korean motifs, the Korean flag came to mind—I wanted to incorporate the harmony of yin and yang, along with the meaning of the four trigrams. I approached the work wondering how to express AMOREPACIFIC’s space, which encompasses all of this.

My work captures fantasies that can be encountered within familiar everyday life. The settings, the emotions felt by the figures within them, and the interactions between them create a narrative. I hope viewers follow that story and find themselves questioning and reflecting on it.

I hope they discover beauty hidden in daily life, as well as the extraordinary beauty that emerges through dreamlike flow.

I found it deeply resonant that AMOREPACIFIC helps people discover their own beauty by creating New Beauty. I believe everyone holds a different kind of beauty. Finding that beauty is challenging but worthwhile. For me, art is the medium through which I express that beauty, and I imagine others reveal their own beauty in their own ways.

I’d be lying if I said there was no pressure. I carefully considered how to approach the work and sought inspiration by exploring the AMOREPACIFIC building and various references, as the brand is a leader in K-beauty. Through repeated drawings, I naturally revealed my own style. Fortunately, the final result turned out satisfying, making this a meaningful and fulfilling project for me.

I’d describe it as “fantasy.” Actually, I have color vision deficiency, which creates challenges for painting. Because of this, I naturally increase saturation or express things with unique colors during the coloring process. While this could be a disadvantage, it’s allowed me to create fantastical palettes—and perhaps that’s my own beauty, ‘my distinctive beauty.’

Above all, consistency and dedication matter most. The strength that allowed me to cultivate beauty came from disciplined living and steady effort. Step by step, I built who I am today and developed my unique beauty. I also maintain the habit of occasionally looking back at those steps, revisiting the mindset I had when I first started.

Cultivate your own beauty through consistency and dedication. Remarkable discoveries and growth await you.