GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

3
2
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
EDITIOR’S
NOTE
안녕하세요!. Introducing you to my very first ever “traveling Korea through
graphics” magazine. This generation is attracted to K-culture and this magazine
is for those who want to know more and get inspired. And also traveling is now a
big no-no.
The title of the magazine “ GRAPHI-K” is inspired by “K-culture Valley” also
known as “Korean Wave” or “Hallyu”.
With the rise of Korean waves in popular culture encompassing everything from
music, movies, drama to online games, and Korean cuisine just to name a few.
In a way, all of the creative field you could name. It’s a way of Korea to use all
creative fields to develop its soft power. And that’s what inspired me to study
their culture. Graphics and visual culture are still rising in Korea and it has it’s
own distinctive approach and historical background to it.
In this particular issue, we will be lifting fog from Korean visual culture. We will
be going on a virtual tour to Korea from the past till now.  together, they would be most powerful country on earth.
한국에 오신
Welcome to Korea
것을 환영합니다
First, let’s do a little bit of background check about what you’ll get to experiencing
while flipping this magazine if you are totally unaware about this unique Culture.
When i talk about this Korea, I mean as whole. Korea is an East Asia Country
surrounded by 3 of the world greatest powers- Russian, Japan & China. Apparently,
China, Japan & Korea share the same history.
It is known that 단군왕검 “Dangun Wanggeom” (grandson of Heaven and son of
bear) was the legendary founder and god-king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom
in 2333 BC. Together with 신라 (silla), 백제 (Baekje) and 태봉 (Taebong) Kingdoms,
Korean peninsula emerged as mixture Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shamanism
(and now Christianity also). And 56.1% of people there don’t follow any religion!
With frequent clashes with neighbors and their values had contributed to paint Korea
its current picture. Sadly, this half-island was hastily divided 72 years ago into DPRK
and ROK by 38th parallel by Soviet Union and America. Since then, these two has
become two sides of Yin-yang, night and day, whatever you call it. But hypothetically
 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

CONTENT

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

08 12 16 22 26 32 35 39 44 48
Design BOOK Introduction to Colors in Art of Korean Let Goo- Ideal Country: South Korean POSTER DAVID
Painted REVIEW: North Korea Korean Life & Calligraphy Ryong take Utopia illustrator ANALYSIS: CARSON:
Folding Screen: Printed In Graphic Design Culture you on a JiYeun.K Parasite Chaos Theory
The 10 North Korea ride to South reveals how
Symbols of Korean her country's
Longevity evolving past and
Typography present inform
a delicate and
classically-
minded talent...

6 7
 ART & HISTORY

Design Painted Folding Screen:

The 10 Symbols of Longevity

I ntroducing Korea’s sipjangsaeng iconography in the visual

arts. It considers how Chinese motifs came to be used so wide-
ly in Korea; which individuals or groups commissioned and
produced the sipjangsaeng design. It investigates the transna-
tional, ideological, and social contexts that gave rise to Korea’s
distinctive sipjangsaeng imprint on the longevity theme and
highlights the intrinsic importance of symbolism to Korea’s
cultural heritage, and its contribution to the articulation of ar-
tistic identity and difference in East Asian visual culture. Its
grand scale, detailed brushwork, and chaesaek (“brilliant co-

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

lours”) style are characteristic features of works commissioned

십장생 문둥이
for use in the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910) court. The work
presents a dramatic departure from the classical restraint of
A painting contemporaneous monochromatic ink paintings (sumukhwa),

Shipjangsaengdo
in which artists used variegated washes and spatial voids to

from the relay the complexity of nature’s forms and textures. The screen
is intended to be read from right to left, in accordance with
East Asian pictorial conventions. In the opening panels, the
Joseon dominant motif is a solitary pine tree (sonamu), long regarded
in East Asia as a symbol of longevity for its ability to with-
Dynasty that stand the harsh winter. Its grand scale, detailed brushwork, and
chaesaWek (“brilliant colours”) style are characteristic features

depicts the of works commissioned for use in the Joseon dynasty (1392-
1910) court. The work presents a dramatic departure from the
classical restraint of contemporaneous monochromatic ink
dream of paintings (sumukhwa), in which artists used variegated wash-
es and spatial voids to relay the complexity of nature’s forms
a long and and textures. The screen is intended to be read from right to
left, in accordance with East Asian pictorial conventions. In

healthy life. the opening panels, the dominant motif is a solitary pine tree
(sonamu), long regarded in East Asia as a symbol of longevity
for its ability to withstand the harsh winter. It rises from ver-
dant mountainous terrain (san), also associated with endurance
and constancy.

https://artsandculture.google.com/story/WQLSy8Vh52wwLg 9
photo from Google Art & Culture

Scattered across the
ground are the mythical red
and pink fungi (yeongji) be-
lieved to contain the elixir of
immortality, and nearby are
various groupings of twelve
deer (saseum), the only animal
reputed to be able to locate
them.
The life-giving and replenish-
ing properties of water (mul)
are dynamically represented as
a river, waterfalls, and the sea;
boisterous waves carry the four
turtles (geobuk) whose long
lifespans connote an obvious
association with the scene.
Venerated for its flexibility and
durability, a clump of bamboo
(daenamu) sits on the rocky
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
outcrop above the sea. In the
upper part of the composition,
wispy clouds (gureum) reiterat-
ing the water theme are inter-
spersed with sixteen flying and
stationary cranes (hak). As one
of the most celebrated birds
in East Asian mythology and
folklore, the crane is endowed
with many lofty attributes, in-
cluding wisdom, promotion,
and filial piety, but it is also
widely associated with lon-
gevity. Finally, the glowing red
sun (hae) warrants inclusion in
the sipjangsaeng iconography
for its constant provision of
warmth and regenerative pow-
er. Overall, the composition
is harmonious and whimsical,
imparting a sense of cosmic
balance in a paradisiacal realm.
https://apjjf.org/-Penny-Bailey/5391/article.pdf
Extant Joseon objects
featuring the iconography
range from paintings, ceramics
and textiles to lacquerware,
metalwares and domestic
items. The motifs comprising
the scheme fall into one of four
groups: celestial (sun, clouds),
“It is now terrestrial (mountains/rocks,
water), botanic (pine, bamboo,
October fungus), and animal (deer,
crane, turtle). Throughout East
Asia, each of these motifs is
but the new independently connected to
notions of longevity and/or
year’s painting immortality, often appearing
as decorative modes clustered
of the Ten in groups of two, three, or five.
The sipjangsaeng grouping
of ten motifs, however, is
Longevity unique to Korea, and reflects
a long history of ornamental
Symbols in and symbolic expression,
which developed through the
my room still amalgamation of assimilated
Chinese iconographic
conventions and indigenous
looks fresh. ideas that gradually evolved
into a new artistic genre with a
When one is ill, distinctively Korean sensibility.
Although the genre is thought
his only wish is to be ideologically rooted in
the Daoist cult of immortality,
for a long it also draws from elements of
Korean folk beliefs, Shamanism
and animism. The auspicious
life.” symbolism was understood and
utilised across all Joseon social
classes as a visual expression
of the universal human desire
to live a long and healthy life,
and more broadly, as a means
of inviting good fortune and
protecting against evil spirits
10
A number of scholarly
studies published in English
have investigated specific
aspects of the use of Korea’s
sipjangsaeng iconography in
the visual arts, including its
proliferation in Joseon’s elite
and folk contexts (Han, 2013;
Kim, 2011), its codification
in the painte screens of the
court ( Jungmann, 2007; Kim,
1993), and its application in
works of art held at various
international museums (Park,
2002; Lachman, 2006). None,
however, have presented a
wider contextual interpretation
of the range of questions that
arise when
examining the many extant
objects featuring the
sipjangsaeng scheme. How, for
instance, did Chinese motifs
come to be used so widely in
Korea, and why was meaning
ascribed to this particular
group of ten motifs?
Chinese Influences on Korean
Iconographical Schemes Prior
to Joseon
The geographical proximity
of Korea and mainland China
has long spurred mutual
interest in the social, political,
and cultural codes of the
Other. As noted above, the
Chinese precedent of investing
auspicious meaning in patterns
and symbols appealed to
Koreans, who augmented their
own ornamental
repertoires with designs from
the continent. From the fourth
century, the Korean
assimilation of Chinese
ideographs, which became
the lingua franca among East
Asian elites, further helped
facilitate and enhance contact,
trade, and diplomatic relations.
Early ornamental patterns used
in Korea, such as the lozenge,
key fret, and trefoil, can be
traced to art forms dating back
as far as China’s Shang dynasty
(ca.1600–1100 BCE). Birds
were revered as symbols of
the free soul. The growth and
dissemination of Buddhism
led to the diversification of
themes and subjects for ritual
and symbolic decoration.
For example, the lotus motif,
which was used to signify
compassion, purification, and
transcendence As Buddhism
travelled eastward and carried
over into the Three Kingdoms
Period (57 BCE–668 CE),
Koreans adopted sinified
iconography and styles, but
over time, became more
selective in their interpretations
of the continental prototypes.
The importation of Chinese
designs continued into the
Goryeo dynasty (918–1392).
The educated elite scholar-
official class were adept at a
wide range of skills in the arts,
and many became enthusiastic
painters of natural themes
containing metaphorical
meanings. An important
difference between the use of
these conventional Chinese
motifs in Korea and the
sipjangsaeng theme, however,
is that is not a wholesale
imitation of a continental
mode, but a transformation
11
of borrowed elements into a
new, Korean, decorative idiom
tailored to native requirements
and preferences. The use of
independent longevity motifs
in Korea has been traced
to murals from the Three
Kingdoms Period, as well
as to ornamental objects in
Baekja (18 BCE–660 CE)
culture, but it seems likely
that the development of the
iconography as a complete
scheme comprising all ten
motifs was not employed until
much later. The first mention
of sipjangsaeng in extant
literary records is recorded by
scholar YiSaek (1328–1396;
a.k.a. Mokeun Sigo), in the
poem “Sehwa Sipjangsaeng”
(New Year’s Painting of Ten
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
Longevity Symbols), which
was penned during his recovery
from a serious illness:
It is now October
but the new year’s painting
of the Ten Longevity
Symbols in my room still
looks fresh. When one is ill,
his only wish is
for a long life.
This record confirms firstly
that the ten longevity symbols
iconography was in use least by
the late Goryeo dynasty, and
secondly, that new year offerings
from monarch to meritorious
subjects were conveyed through
the presentation of auspicious
paintings inviting prosperity and
good fortune, as well as warding
off evil and misfortune.
-Penny Bailey
 KOREA
DPRK

Never-before-seen North Korea - a rare glimpse into

the country behind the politics and the creativity
behind the propaganda

Nicholas Bonner’s previous book, Made

Nicholas Bonner, author of
“Printed in North Korea”: The
Art of Everyday Life in the DPRK,
discusses the surprising visual culture
of North Korea’s lino-cut prints
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
in North Korea, offered a fascinating
introduction to North Korean graphic
design, with images of food packaging,
postcards, airline tickets and ephemera
Nonetheless, and as every print in this
book testifies, the artistry, sensitivity and
from the totalitarian state. The book
generated a huge amount of coverage in
talent of artists in North Korea are evident
in abundance.
mainstream news and the design press Buying art in North Korea is not a
and led to an exhibition at London’s House
of Illustration.
problem, but buying good is certainly not
straightforward. More than a few collectors

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

His latest publication explores North
Korea’s printing heritage and the role of
visual art in disseminating propaganda.
Printed in North Korea brings together
over 200 woodblock and linocut prints
from the past 70 years, which depict the
have fallen for what appears to be a great
work of art, not realising what they have
purchased. As well as authentic works of
art, there are also legitimate ‘copy works’ of
popular pieces that are signed by the new
artist while acknowledging the original.

PRINTED
everyday lives of residents – from farmers
to steelworkers and fisherman.
In an interview, he described his
exploration.
I started collecting North Korean artwork
Forgery is seriously frowned upon in the
DPRK, nonetheless I have seen works that
are deliberate counterfeits. This is not
helped by the lack of a recognised system
of provenance and a lack of understanding
of the history of North Korean art.
Older works from the 1950s tend to be

IN
and graphics on my first visit to Pyongyang.
The best artists belonged to either
Mansudae or Paekho Art Studios and
the prints from these studios became an
important part of my collection, which now
consists of over 700 prints dating from the
1950s to today. The subject matter ranges
woodcuts, but in the late 1970s linocuts
printed with viscous inks came to the fore
and are the most well-represented in this
selection. Various styles can be seen in
the following pages – from the reduction
method (one colour applied and printed
before re-cutting the lino and applying

NORTH
from the prosaic (a potato researcher in
a laboratory, a woman cleaning a bus) to
the poetic (the towering pine forests of the
north, raging waterfalls and moonlit lakes).
What they all have in common though, is
the delivery of an unambiguous political or
social message.
a second colour) – to applying various
colours directly on to the linocut for
specific areas.
hat is common is that no more than fifteen
prints are made from each linocut, because
after this the ink clogs up the cuts and the
fine details are lost.

Illusration from “Printed In North Korea” book 12 13


GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
Art in North Korea ranges from the purely
aesthetic to the politically laden. While
simple decorative paintings and prints
are produced for homes and restaurants,
works for public display tend to be of the
‘Juche realism’ genre. The works are shown
in exhibitions and printed in magazines
with the aim of imbuing the public with a
sense of pride and purpose: no matter how
mundane your job, you are an important
part of the revolution, the country
therefore remains strong and will care for
you. Many prints, especially those selected
for the annual year book on the arts, are
simply archived, but some make their way
into the hands of foreign visitors browsing
in one of the art studios.
Each print, including every one in this
book, was made to be believable and to
resonate with a Korean audience even if,
in some cases, it is an exaggerated, almost
technicolour, reality.
https://www.port-magazine.com/art-photography/printed-in-north-korea/
THE STRENGHTH
OF ART IS
GREATER THAN
I sincerely hope that this selection of prints
will resonate with readers as works of
NUCLEAR
great skill, and in their own way beauty, as
an important reminder that North Korea
is a three-dimensional country filled with
people and places that go way beyond
WEAPON
the headlines. This incredible collection
of prints dating from the 1950s to the
twenty-first century is the only one of its
kind in or outside North Korea. Depicting
the everyday lives of the country’s train
conductors, steelworkers, weavers,
farmers, scientists, and fishermen, these
unique lino-cut and woodblock prints are
a fascinating way to explore the culture
of this still virtually unknown country.
Together, they are an unparalleled
testament to the talent of North Korea’s
artists and the unique social, cultural, and
political conditions in which they work.
-Nicholas Bonner
14
 VISUAL CULTURE OF DPRK
THROUGH IT’S DESIGNED
COLLETRALS
INTRODUCTION
TO NORTH KOREAN
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Nicholas Bonner’s book Made in North Korea offers a
rare glimpse into the visual culture of the totalitarian state
– from cigarette and food packaging to postcards and
airline tickets. We talk to Bonner about the North Korean
graphic design industry and how the role of packaging and
ephemera differs in such a society
16
B onner has been collecting ephemerasince his first visitto the country
in the mid 1990s. “I was charmed and simply taken by the graphic design
elements of the products there…. So I would buy Korean sweets and keep
the wrappers and the hoarding eventually became several large boxes
stuffed with what others might, justifiably, call junk,” he writes in the book.
This “junk” includes postcards, stamps, airline tickets, beer labels and
propaganda.
The book is not a comprehensive survey of North Korean graphics but a
look at one avid collector’s archive. Short essays by Bonner provide an
insight into daily life and culture in the country and highlight some
recurring themes in North Korean design.
Functional design
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
Bonner claims that branding and packaging has a more
functional purpose in North Korea than in countries
where consumers have more choice. Tinned food
labels often feature a simple illustration of the product
against a brightly coloured background (blue, green and
yellow are all popular shades).
“Design in North Korea is generally not expected to explicitly
promote one product over its competitor (as there is, in most cases,
no competition). Labelling is more to inform the buyer simply what the
object does or what it is,” writes Bonner.
In Western society, branding and advertising is used to persuade and
seduce – to sell the idea that buying this product will somehow improve
your life. Bonner says North Korean ephemera is more “naïve” and claims
there is “almost no Western style advertising” in the country.
“Until recently, there were no advertising hoardings, no television
advertising, no internet (still true, although there is an intranet that people
can access on smartphones and in libraries),” he writes.
Speaking to CR, Bonner says that designers will still think of things such
as ‘shelf appeal’ – but the environment in which products appear is very
different from the UK. “Shelves are stocked in a monotonous row of one
product followed by another – [this is] very different from Western chains
where each product squashes right up to the next,” he explains.
17
VISUAL
ART State approval
Graphic design in North Korea is state-
controlled. Most graphic designers train at
university before going on to work at the
Industrial Art Studio or another company
and most of the country’s design jobs are
based in Pyongyang. As all factories are
owned by the state, every piece of graphic
design must have state approval.
Bonner says development in product
design is “cautious and slow” as a result.
“The use of traditional motifs and a colour
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
palette derived from Korea’s heritage
remain a constant and with the lack of
foreign influence, graphic artists produce a
unique ‘house style’ based on a mixture of
simplicity, non-deliberate retro-styling and
tradition,” he writes.
North Korean design is surprisingly
varied, however – influenced not just by
years of Japanese rule but Buddhism and
Confucianism as well as links with the
Communist Bloc. (“Korean propaganda
art, for instance, is more inspired by the
USSR than by [neighbouring] China,” writes
Bonner.)
Prior to the digital age, Bonner says Korean
designers would draw on colours and
symbols around them: “these would be bold
designs and colours akin to propaganda but
also [with] the softness of their traditional
art and design,” he tells CR. Socialism often
brings to mind muted and neutral shades
but North Korean ephemera is filled with
bright colours. Red and pink is considered a
“traditional” Korean palette and is a popular
choice among graphic designers.
https://www.creativereview.co.uk/north-korea-graphic-design-book-phaidon/ 18
Korean is best
There is a distinct sense of “Koreanness” that
runs throughout the ephemera featured in
the book. Products often feature images of
A 2003 Invitation to mark the celebration for
the 55th year of the founding of the DPRK.
Ticket to the Military Parade followed by the
People’s Parade to mark the 40th anniversary of
the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War (Korean
War, 1953-1993)
Innvitation used in 1996 to the indoor mass
gymnastics performance organised for the
birthday of Kim Jong the 2nd
beauty spots or landmarks or recognised
iconography. A carton of cigarettes might
feature a mountain view while airline
tickets show Pyongyang cityscapes. Bonner
says this kind of imagery is often used to
promote the idea that local or national
produce is best – and of superior quality to
international goods.
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
“The idea that North Korea is best is
reinforced and amplified in all manner of
products. For erxample, to present a well
known Korean landmark – a mountain,
building or statue – on a packet of cigarettes
or a box of matches is to imbue them with
instantly recognisable Koreanness,” he
writes.
More choice
Changes in North Korea’s economy since
the early 2000s have led to an increase in
available products and consumers can now
choose between several brands of certain
items – including beer and cigarettes.
These competing companies are pitched
at different demographics: Bonner says
Kunsol cigarettes (one of the oldest brands
in North Korea) is aimed squarely at the
working classes.
“Visitors are often surprised that such
competition exists. They go to Pyongyang
expecting to drink the one kind of beer
or smoke the one type of cigarette. But Labels for tins of apples (top), flat fish and beef. Bonner says Pyongyang has a handful of restaurants serving foreign food, including Japanese and
Italian dishes, but most people eat national dishes. Food packaging is often more functional in North Korea than in the West, with labels featuring
companies compete with each other, trying illustrations of the product inside. Collection: Nicholas Bonner
19

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
Spread from Made in North Korea showing packaging for Paekdusan blueberries in jelly (left hand page, top), wrapping paper from the Korea
International Travel Company gift shop, featuring an image of Mount Kumgang and architectural landmarks (bottom), and old-fashioned sweets
packaging.
Paekdusan blueberry(tuljuk) a natural-
flavoured carbonated drink for both children
and adults. The berries are picked in the area
of the sacred Mt. Paekdu.
Stamp sheet depicting various aircarft of the
world (most likely issued to mark the 75th
anniversary of powered flight) including two
examples from Air Koryo, North Korea’s national
airline. If the mood takes you, it is possible
to design your own stamp nd have them be
validated for use. Stamps are a common
souvenir for visitors to the DPRK. Any that were
printed before 2009(when a currency reform
took place) are now not valid for postage and
can be used only as souvenirs.
20
Pear carbonated drink which is called cider,
but actually it’s non-alcoholic.
to make their product better than that of a
rival, and are profit-motivated,” he writes.
The number of modern stores is also
increasing. The Kwangbok Supermarket
in Pyongyang stocks international brands
and this had led to the evolution of a
more universal graphic style. Bonner says
cigarette brands now use gold to indicate
quality in much the same way as Benson
and Hedges or Malboro did in the UK before
the introduction of plain packaging.
Speaking to CR, he says: “There were almost
no outside influences before the 2000s.
Almost all products in Pyongyang were
locally sourced, designed and packaged. In
the countryside the odd foreign brand would
only appear in hotels or rest stops – perhaps
a Western brand biscuit, often past sell-
by date, would appear and over the years,
be reduced in numbers by the occasional
tourist short of Western delights.”
Outside influences
Now, however, everything from Nivea
cosmetics to Swiss chocolate and Coca-
Cola has found its way into the capital
(despite the fact that the US won’t allow
exports and Korea has banned imports).
And with Koreans exposed to more outside
influences, packaging is becoming less
distinctive and idiosyncratic.
“Contemporary packaging sadly is the same
as the rest of the world,” Bonner says. “Even
their version of ‘tetra pack’ has arrived – tins
of North Korean cola now with ring pulls
not sealed caps etc. Mundane ubiquitous
21
globalised design with all its
shiny tricks to attract customers
has arrived and it is what the
Korean public want.”
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
“This design represents
modernity and a bright future
– the old hand-drawn design
is what your parents used,”
he continues. “Old Korean
products are all jazzing up their
packaging…. It is also reflected
in the manner in which many
interiors of public buildings
are being replaced – beautiful
mosaic and marble work [is
being replaced] by Chinese tiles
and reflective glass.”
The idiosyncrasies highlighted
in Bonner’s book might soon
be a thing of the past but the
ephemera he has collected over
the years is distinctly North
Korean. His book offers a rare
glimpse of the country’s visual
culture and shows how the
ideology of the Workers’ Party
is expressed in everything from
cosmetics to cigarette cartons.
- Rachael Steven

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
“The Sky, land, humans, all
creatures, and nature each have
their own colors. So do clothes,
objects and paintings. But for what
reason do people favour different
”
colors at different times?
- Yun Gi (1535-1606)
22
I
have always been-
fascinated about what
makes Korean so col-
orful. We see colors ev-
ery day in our lives and it
is perceived differently by
different cultures and their
historical values.  Every
form of Art from Korea dis-
plays a subtle use of colors
and these colors play a sig-
nificant role in shaping the
Korean peninsula the way
it is today. In their culture, it
is seen in their food to their
traditional clothing. Accord-
ing to an article on “Yin-Yang
and the Five Elements of
the Universe “by  Jang Soo-
hyun (associate professor
of  Kwangwoon University,
Seoul), there is a belief origi-
nated from China and shared
in the Orient called “yin-yang
and the five elements theo-
ry”, or eumyangohaeng in
Korean. Old East Asian cul-
ture and its people’s lives
were deeply based on na-
ture, and the theory explains
the natural system which the
world is founded on. Yin-
yang or eumyang means
light and darkness, which
are represented by the sun
and the moon. Ohaeng
means the five elements;
fire, water, tree, metal or
gold, and earth, which com-
pose the world we live in.
Yin-yang and the five ele-
ments theory symbolizes
and provides interpreta-
tions for parts of the uni-
verse, such as colors, po-
sitions, and time (weather).
The five basic colors, called
obangsaek - red, black,
blue, white, and yellow - are
colors that represent each
of the five elements from
fire to earth, in order. These
colors also symbolize five
positions - south, north,
east, west, and the center.
Then, the four positions
- east, south, west, and
north - correspond to each
season- spring, summer,
fall, and winter. Though
the basic five colors are
also the traditional colors
of China and Japan, they
have different hues, mean-
ings, and usages in Korea.
So these five colors of
obangsaek represent the
five elements (fire, water,
tree, metal or gold, and
earth) that compose the
universe, and symbolize
five positions (south, north,
east, west, and the center).
 “The Sky, land, humans, all
creatures, and nature each
have their colors. So do
clothes, objects, and paint-
ings. But for what reason
do people favor different
colors at different times?”-
Yun Gi (1535-1606), a court
official in the mid- Joseon
era from his book titled
“Mumyeongjajip Mungo”.
Each color of obang-
saek has its  signification.
WHITE
(Purity, Innocence,
Rectitude, Temper-
ance)-  White has since
long ago signified purity
and temperance, that is, a
‘clean state of mind without
greed’. The notion of color-
lessness has closely been
connected with the Korean
people, as they were called
“Baeguiminjok(the white-
clad people)”
by for-
23
eigners from ancient times
and into the modern era.
Also, white porcelain ra-
diates the beauty of purity
and temperance, repre-
senting the rectitude and
integrity of the scholars
in the Joseon Dynasty.
BLACK
(Darkness, Death, For-
mality, Dignity, Rules)
- Black has been associat-
ed with negative meanings
such as night, death, dark-
ness, etc. But the black of-
ficial hat and attire of the
Joseon Dynasty represent
‘formality’ and ‘dignity,’ and
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
through the simplified black
official attire and school uni-
forms and so on worn after
the Japanese occupation,
it has also come to signify
‘institutions’ and ‘rules.’ On
the other hand, the color
black in the modern era is
favored through its percep-
tion as a color that signifies
‘exclusivity’ and ‘chic’, rid-
ding itself of its column and
gloomy nuances of the past.
RED
(Authority, Exorcism,
Pursuits of

Happiness, Anti-com- YELLOW
munism, Cohesion, (Holiness, Wealth, Au-
Solidarity)-  For a long thority, Fertility, Warning)-
time, the color red has been
believed to have shamanis-
tic power for warding off evil
spirits or bad luck. People
have protected themselves
against bad energy by using
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
red in writing amulets, dying
their fingernails with garden
balsam, or eating red-bean
potage (Patjuk). After the
Korean War, red came to
be perceived as the color of
communism, thus gaining a
negative connotation, but
since the 2002 World Cup,
it has become a symbol of
passion and the color that
promotes social cohesion.
BLUE
(Spring,Youth,Hope,Utopia)-
 In East Asian philosophy,
blue has a signified uto-
오방색
pian nature. The various
hues of the mountains, sea,
and sky, from light blue to
green, to navy blue, were
considered collectively as
belonging to one color sig-
nifying ‘life’ and ‘hope.’ In
OBANGSAEK western culture, this color
Illustration by Bhavya
24
has been related to ‘the
blues’ in a negative sense,
but in modern times, it has
become a color signifying
hope for the vigor of youth.
Yellow, as the main color
used by the Emperor, is as-
sociated with nobility, dig-
nity, and holiness. As the
main color of Yin-Yang&O-
haeng(Five Elements of the
Universe), precious and
shining brightly, it signifies
the earth’s soil and fertility.
In modern times, it is often
used for children due to its
bright and convivial image,
but also as a warning color
alluding to danger because
it attracts people’s attention.
Since ancient times, Ko-
reans have applied colors
to the pursuit of harmo-
ny between Yin and Yang,
the successful coexistence
with the incompatible, and
unity with nature in their
lives. according to the
Ohaeng(Five Elements of
the Universe), it is possible
to cure a disease and to
repel a demon through the
use of the colors red and
blue which correspond to
Yang, the energy of life, that
can neutralize the negative
25
energy, Yin. Especially, the
use of blue and red togeth-
er on a sajudanja (the letter
from the family of a groom
to his bride-to-be) and a
bojagi (traditional wedding
ceremony wrapping cloth)
have been used to signify
the Yin Yang respectively in
the harmonious union of a
man and woman marriage.
From the royal family to the
common people, colors in
Asian culture have served
not only in daily life but also
to represent symbolic and
ideological concepts in im-
portant rites such as the
Four Ceremonial Occasions
of  Life(coming of age, wed-
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
ding, funeral, and ancestral
rite, Kr. Gwan-hon-sang-je).
Korean aesthetics of color
can be observed as intact in
the harmony of the five col-
ors in the theory of Yin-Yang
and the Five Elements, the
harmony of saekdong(-
Multi-colored) in the making
of a patchwork of colorful
striped, and the resplendent
colors of najeon(lacquer
wares inlaid with mother-of-
pearl).
-Bhavya, FC-4
Nift, Delhi
 ART
TYPOGRAPHY

2nd and 3rd Century CE and since then

it has continued to evolve till today. Even
after the invention of Hangul in 1447,
Chinese was used as the official script until
the 19th century. The unified Silla Dynasty
gave birth to pronounce masters like Kim

OF
Saing and Choi Ch’i-won whose work
reflected Chinese style and followed the
angular, squarish grace of great Chinese
calligraphers Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan
which continued till Koryo Period. until
roughly 1350, when the rounded, fluent style
of the Chinese calligrapher Zhao Mengfu,

KOREAN
of the Yuan dynasty, was introduced and
became the vogue and have managed to
remain undercurrent till this time. Later in
the 16th century, a vulgar design started to
become evident in the Choson dynasty. Till
the 19th Century, individual style started
to appear in Korean Calligraphy art.  The
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

greatest master of the Choson period was

calligraphy
Kim Chong Hi, who established the so-
called ch’usa style. His calligraphy is derived
Calligraphy used in “Goblin” (tvN K-drama) Promotional poster

Today, Korean entertainment and market

industries use calligraphy to its fullest.
What do these dots and lines say that
typography cannot?

I see an old man going in a state of meditation

where only brush in his hand and emotion felt
at that moment matters. He finally dips his
brush in black ink and starts moving the brush
around vigorously in a swift motion. It starts
creating some patterns and shapes on the paper.
Ink is dripping here and there, brush leaving its
faint mark.  And then he stops. And looks over
it and a peaceful smile come over his. He looks
proud. The beauty of the moment is created.
It is said in East Asia that painting and
Calligraphy have the same origin. Those
splashes of ink and paint speak about the
impressionist’s personality and mood. Korea has
embraced calligraphy for 2 millennia. Korean
Calligraphy has gone through significant
Photo by Korea Tourism Organization and Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea
changes. It was adopted from China in the
poster designed by Ahn Byeong-guk
26 27

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
“Scarlet heart ryeo” original sound track album cover
from the lishu script of China, but his sense
of pictorial composition, harmony within
asymmetry, and animation by unmatched,
forceful strokes made his style unique which
kind of resembles the way we do lay outing
to create balanced composition between text
and images. But that’s a story for another
day. Japanese influence started to draw near
in 1920 cause of the Japanese colonization
of Korea in 1910. Since World War II,
calligraphy in both North and South Korea has
been profoundly influenced by governmental
decisions to replace all Chinese characters
with words written in the native alphabet. As
a consequence, modern Korean calligraphy
has developed along new lines. Many scholars
preferred Hanja (Chinese Character) over
Hangeul (Korean Letters) for calligraphy as
per the traditional and ongoing way. But the
Japanese invasion led to the rise of Nationalist
sentiment among Koreans which led to the
popularization of the native hangul alphabet,
and calligraphic works using hangul have since
seen a revival, although hanja calligraphy is still
in vogue today.
28
“Several
times in the show I
found myself unconsciously
moving my wrist and hand
while looking at the calligraphy, as if
tracing the lines in space would be a
way to know written languages I cannot
read. I recommend the exercise, because
empathy emerges as Korean calligraphy’s
engine. Beautiful writing is powerful not
only for what the characters say, but
for the visceral, sometimes subtle
interaction it wants to induce
with absent calligraphers
across time and
space”
The “four friends” (문방사우) -Christopher Knight
It’s an exquisite art form and needs to carry
forward. But four main tools are required for
the practice of calligraphy—paper, brush, ink
stick, and inkstone. These “four friends,” or
“Munbangsawoo” in Korean, were commonly
found objects in the studies of pre-modern
Korean homes.
•Paper - Not your usual paper, Korean
mulberry paper is made using rice and absorbs
ink more than regular paper, as well as truly
showing off the colors and shine of ink.
•Brush - The brush is straight, with a pointed
tip. Although synthetic hairs can be used, the
original brushes with animal hairs tend to be
more authentic and have a better feel to them.
•Ink Stick - Better than a pot of ink, the ink
stick is made with a mixture of soot from
burned trees and glue. This makes the liquid
create more vivid colors.
•Ink Stone - A container made from materials
that will not absorb ink or water. One side is
deep, where the liquified ink will be placed, the
Illustration by Bhavya
 other side is shallow, which is used to remove
excess ink from the brush.
•Yeonjeok - Traditionally used, this is a
container that holds the water to grind the ink
stick into a liquid.
•Boot Tong - A special container that holds
the brushes, the brush side facing upwards, to
not damage the hairs.
•Munjin - Paperweights which are used to
hold the mulberry paper down, whilst being
used. These tend to be long and flat, to hold an
entire edge of the paper down (usually the top
edge).
•Pilse - a small bowl used to wash the brush.
These pieces usually illustrate classic citations,
express Confucian beliefs of refined individual
conduct concerning society, well-wishing
sentences, poems, or sometimes just one’s
name. And used as a wall hanging. Gifting
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
space. Rhythm and flow of writing, strong or
weak, fast or slow, shades of black ink. “Skills
with visual images can be acquired with a series
of training, but typography or calligraphy skill
is an inborn talent.” Lee from Sputnik (Design
studio) said.
Though this visual art form is still evolving
steadfastly and still finding its true identity
and style in modern culture. As per the
article “Calligraphy in Korean alphabet goes
mainstream “top calligrapher Kang Byung In
argued the calligraphy market was “still in the
making” and a shift in awareness was crucial to
the survival of the entire calligraphy business.
Many movies, songs, drama, or advertisement
posters used calligraphy style to represent the
concept. Calligraphy is becoming a required
skill for young designers in Korean to have
to be a graphic designer. Though it’s not a
“must-thing” but it’s better to have this talent.

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

Calligraphy shows respect for the receiver Now, more people started recognizing its
from the artist also known as “true gift of significance in the graphic field. Some of the
Heart”. It gives peace to the viewer as well as rising designers use it to its fullest to convey
creator as beautifully quoted by “Christopher any mood. I hope it survives and keeps carrying
Knight” in this article “Review: LACMA’s ‘Art forward its legacy and finds its right spot in the
of Korean Writing’ reveals the brilliance in design field.
each brushstroke” “Several times in the show I
found myself unconsciously moving my wrist
and hand while looking at the calligraphy as
if tracing the lines in space would be a way
-Bhavya, FC-4
to know written languages I cannot read. I
Nift, Delhi
recommend the exercise because empathy
emerges as Korean calligraphy’s engine.
Beautiful writing is powerful not only for
what the characters say but for the visceral,
sometimes subtle interaction it wants to induce
with absent calligraphers across time and
space” In the west, it’s just appealing artistic
endeavor but in East Asia, it an act of mental
training and disciplining mind maybe that’s
why it called “way of the word”. It is the design
and execution of lettering which utilizes shapes
and meaning to reveal the personality of an
artist. Its structural beauty depends on the
composition of balance, proportion of dots and
lines, large or small, long or short, position of

30 31
 Let Goo-Ryong take you on a
ride to South Korean evolving
Typography Type design is thriving in the Korean design scene. Young designer prefer creating
their own font in Hangul. Goo-Ryong talks about his experience as typographer.
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

32 33
 Ideal Country:
Utopia
Starting in July 1948, the Republic
of Korea has elected a total of
19 presidential elections and 11
presidents. There are 118 candidates
running for the presidency, including
duplication. As always, the rhetoric
written on numerous presidential
candidate’s election posters reflects
the times of the day and is as busy and
noisy as if they were building an ideal E
VERYDAY is almost 8 years
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

Korea right now. Their language is old Graphic Design studio situated
loud and loud, but behind them is an in Mapo District in Seoul, South
impossible declaration that points to
Poster for graphic design exhibition in Tae Baek by Chung Hangul Fonts Original Form and Pedigree 1830-1956 by chung Korea created by three very talented
Choon choon an unknowingly unobtainable future.
If the numerous pledges and promises designers, Joonho Kwon, Kyung-
written on the election posters were chul Kim and Eojin Kim. All of them
fulfilled, could the Republic of Koreawent to Chung-Ang University, in
become an ideal country in 2020? Seoul, South Korea. Joonho Kwon
We’d like to look at past promises also studied at the Royal College of
they’ve made, and see how the reality
Art, in London, United Kingdom.
of the ideal state has been consumed
by presidential candidates. Kyung-chul Kim and Eojin Kim
started their careers at a design
agency and worked mostly for commercial clients. However, they wanted
to work on their own projects, so they started their own studio, called
Hand Print, in 2011. At the same time, Joonho Kwon was getting his MA
at the Royal College of Art. After a few years, the three of us talked about
forming a new studio that would focus on designing for the society we
live in. Though there are thousands of quality design practices working
for commercial industries, it was not easy to find well-organized designs
for our everyday lives. With that in mind, we named our design studio
Everyday Practice. Joonho Kwon enjoys making things. He collaborated
with other art departments in college, such as painting, sculpture and
photography. He enjoys applying the collaborative process to graphic
design. In South Korea, graphic design is conservative. People think
that graphic design should be restricted to print materials generated
Night View of Seoul, 2015 de-voice, 2014 by Chung Choon
Poster for International poster invitation exhibition in beijing 34 https://www.commarts.com/fresh/everyday-practice 35
design week 2015 by Chung Choon
 on the computer. We would like
to design something beyond
those boundaries. By combining
their strengths, the trio behind
this Seoul-based design studio is
pushing against the boundaries
of graphic design in South Korea.
“We believe that if the quantity and
quality of our work increases, we
can continue growing as designers.”
Recently they have organised
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
yet another exciting exhibition
at Ilmin Museum of Art,
Presseum, Ilmin Museum of
Art and Newspaper Museum
titled “Ideal Country: Utopia”.
The island Utopia, which appears
in Thomas More’s book Utopia,
symbolizes the ideal state. A
country in which equality between
production and ownership, labor
and distribution is achieved based
36
http://everyday-practice.com/portfolio/utopia/
on representative democracy. The
combination of the Greek’ou (no)’
and’topos’ (place)’ refers to the
country’s name and implies’no
place’. The artist hid the irony
that an ideal state cannot exist in
reality under the name of Utopia.
Starting in July 1948, the Republic of
Korea elected a total of 19 presidential
elections and 11 presidents. There are
118 candidates for the presidential
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
”
election, including duplication.
As always, the missophrases used
in the election posters of many We would
presidential candidates are busy and
tumultuous, as if reflecting the times like to design Photos from EVERYDAY PRACTICE
something
of the day and establishing an ideal
Republic of Korea. Their language
is loud and noisy, but behind the
scenes, they reach an impossible beyond those
declaration that points to an unreal
future. If the many promises and boundaries.
37
 ILLUSTRATION

South Korean illustrator JiYeun.K

reveals how her country’s past
and present inform a delicate and
classically-minded talent...

Inspired by classic South

Korean picture books
of years gone by, visual
storyteller, JiYeun Kang,
illustrates in an old-style
aesthetic to bring her
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

promises used in the campaign were
fulfilled, could Korea in 2020 be the
ideal country? I would like to look at
how the reality of the ideal country
was consumed by the presidential
candidates from the past promises
accumulated by North Korea.
The’ideal state’ begins by collecting
narrative alive. She is known
to elongate and exaggerate
and creates a contradiction that human features, capturing
explains the tomorrow without humble elegance while
substance. The impossible adopting the shadow-work of
existence that tells the future in a printmaker.
words of the past will be recorded
by the audience as an incomplete
declaration at every moment.

words from more than 400
declarations used in the election
campaign for candidates running for
the presidential election. The words
spouted to realize the ideal state
are again stuffed into letterpress in
their own form and displayed at
the exhibition hall, and visitors can
freely list the words that promised
the ideal country on the same size
of the election bulletin board as
possible. The sentence is completed.
The poster, which was transferred
to Letterpress, presents a vivid form
W
-EVERYDAY orking as a children’s book designer until 2011,
PRACTICE Jiyeun.K became freelance with the sole purpose of
bringing stories to life. Even though she works with a
diverse range of respected publishers in Korea, she is
somewhat of an unknown talent in the West. Her work
depicts drama of the everyday and of the historic past.
Akin to graphic novels, her style imagines atmosphere
and feelings where even words aren’t necessary.
Although her influences are homegrown—occasionally
political and motivated by some of the worst wars in
history—many international talents inspire her. Celebrated
Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen; Polish artist Tamara de
Lempicka, known for her distinctive art deco style; and the
Israeli-born American writer and artist Maira Kalman are
among her favourites.
Tell us about where you grew up and what your
early influences were…
I grew up in Daegu in Korea. It is also known as the most
conservative city in Korea, and influenced by an idea
called Confucianism. It’s an atmosphere where people
value their ancestors. While people oppress women,
men are obliged to take on more responsibilities; it is
harmful to both sexes. Fortunately, my parents were
kind enough to raise their sons and daughters without
discrimination. And where are you based now? Can
you tell us a bit about your town and studio?
I live in Yongin City. It is a forested city located not far
from the capital, Seoul. It’s a great place to spend time

38 39
 with young children. My studio is my home and I spend a lot of time there because my children are still
young.

Where did you study?

In Korea schools for illustration are hard to find. I studied graphic design at Kookmin University
in Seoul. When I was a teenager I really loved to draw, but during the art school preparation
period, the entrance test system bored me. It was a very mechanical and repetitive process. I felt
as if I had become a drawing robot. After admission, I took part in a semester’s illustration class,
which made me feel the joy of drawing again, and I’ve loved it ever since.

How has South Korean culture influenced your work?

Korean culture, nature and thinking has had an absolute impact on my life—I’m never free from
those effects. I like both hand-rendered and digital work, but my recent digital work has much
to do with the Korean atmosphere, where mothers have to take care of their children most of the
time. Famously we work a lot and sometimes long into the night; many of us are workaholics. I
needed to increase my digital work to be more communicative with my clients. My work style is
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

also a realistic choice for harmonising painting and life.

Can you tell us more about the ‘Korean atmosphere’ and how does it affect your creativity?

Foreign countries have been invading the Korean Peninsula for years. As a result of the Korean
War there are still many dangers, and there is tension in everyday life. Therefore, I always feel
threatened by war, and at the same time I long for peace. I guess the unique feelings of Koreans—
known as ‘Han’ or ‘Jeong’—came from this situation. Every young man in this country must go
to the army. My son, who is still a baby, will too have to go someday. Healthy young men in Korea
must go to the military for two years and train. The impact of this experience on the home and
society is huge. Maybe this is where the typical conservative atmosphere begins?

I am living as an illustrator, as a woman, as a mother, which feels special in Korea. I think that
experience makes me more involved in literary works, especially in modern Korean literature
which is very emotional. Many of the illustrations based on the latest literary works are coming
from such empathy, and I think it will continue to have a steady impact on my work.

Your illustrations capture light and colour beautifully, where (and how) did you perfect your skills?

After I graduated I worked as a children’s books graphic designer for Woongjin—one of the
biggest publishers in Korea—for about six years. I had lots of opportunities to work with diverse
and famous illustrators in Korea. In 2011 I quit my job, got married and started illustration in
earnest. The first book I illustrated was published in 2015, and since then I have worked steadily
as an illustrator.

40 41
https://www.we-heart.com/2019/06/10/jiyeun-kang-illustrator-interview/
 How do you approach an illustration and visualise the story?

To capture the images I use quick lines and sketches. The light or colour is there because it is an essential
factor of the scene I am trying to create. My paintings are influenced a lot by what I read, and I don’t start
sketching until I have a clear image in my head. When the scene is apparent enough, I draw it as quickly as
possible with long fast lines. The subsequent lighting or colouring is the process of polishing and embellishing
the images that I’ve captured.

Please tell us about one of your favourite books that you have illustrated…

My target audience is young adults and teenagers, and I’ve illustrated a series of books including The Aimless
Bullet by Yi Beom Seon and Seoul 1964 Winter by Sung-ok Kim. Both titles are sensitive and deeply illustrate
the situation of Korea just after the Korean War. It is a series of narrative illustrations where I tried very hard
to capture the dominant images of the era.

Tell us more about your family; do your children like your work?

I have a four-year-old daughter and a one-year-old baby son. They are still too young so I can’t be sure of
what they think of my work. However, they like to draw pictures while I’m working and show a lot of interest
in my illustrations. I don’t want them to copy my drawings or lose their courage to draw so I always try to
encourage them to paint by themselves.
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

As a visual storyteller,
what are the most
important elements to
portray in your artwork?

I want to convey a message

or a purpose through my
works using light, colour
and composition.

Do you ever illustrate

contemporary culture?

I created a series of
contemporary illustration
for the launch event
of the Italian fashion
brand a.testoni. The
commissioner wanted
to express the brand’s
concepts of ‘classic luxury’,
and so I expressed that
idea with simple black
lines and some colour
touches.

- Create Zine

42 43
https://www.create-zine.com/the-zine
 POSTER
POSTER ANALYSIS:
PARASITE
P
arasite may be a
human-scaled story, but it’s
still steeped in the elemental.
Ki-woo loves to remark on
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
the symbolism he perceives
in the world around him, so
he’d surely be taken with
the metaphor implied by
the striking artwork. A new
tagline ‘Uncontainable Desire’,
hints at his game; the spirit of
striving and industriousness
is what drives ordinary citizens
to work for a better life, but
that same concept can be
perverted by bourgeois greed,
leaving even the wealthiest
unstimulated and unsatisfied
until they get more, more,
more.
The original Korean poster—
the first glimpse any of us got
of this soon-to-be sensation
back last April—was designed
by Kim Sang-man, a film
director (Midnight FM), art
director (Joint Security Area),
and composer, who started his
career as a poster designer and
is a contemporary of Bong’s.
44
https://mubi.com/notebook/posts/movie-poster-of-the-week-the-posters-of-parasite
As I wrote when I featured
the poster in my ten best
posters of 2019, “its placid
yet ominous domestic scene,
rendered undeniably creepy
by the censor bars across
the protagonists’ eyes—
reminiscent of Kendrick
Lamar’s Good Kid, mAAd
City—featured half the major
players (not least that boxy,
modernist home, the ultimate
star of the film) and a number
of significant objects (the
teepee, that ornamental rock,
those legs...) without giving
much of the game away.” One
thing I didn’t register until quite
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
recently is how the bars across
the eyes are color-coded by
family: black for the Kims,
white for the Parks. The artist
has taken a more creatively
roundabout approach,
channeling those opposing
forces into the imagery of his
illustration, which harkens back
to Korean minhwa folk art with
its hand-hewn aesthetic and
themes of the natural world.
The design has been used with
barely any changes, except for
the text, all over the world.
The new international poster
emphasises the clash between
earth, represented by the
special stone given to Ki-woo,
intended to bring wealth, and
water, evoking the flood that
submerges the family’s home
in sewage and forces them
into a encampment for the
displaced poor.
If the U.K. will be one of the
45
 last countries to open the film, France was
one of the first, opening it two weeks after the
Cannes premiere and a week after the South
Korean release. The main French campaign
is as equally striking as the original, retaining
the concept of the black censor bars (without
the color coding, though the families are
differentiated by being barefoot or in shoes)
and including the entire main cast (with two
notable exceptions) and placing them in
the interior of the house but with two of the
key signifiers of the film (the teepee and the
ornamental “scholar’s” rock) still visible.
There are a number other French designs
on the web, which seem to me to be
leaked comp designs. All are very striking
if somewhat more conventional than the
family portrait above, and none use the
black bars which have become the film’s
most notable symbol (as well as an early
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020

festival gimmick).
To mark the film’s UK theatrical release on
7 February, distributor Curzon Artificial Eye
La Boca Design studio Alternative UK poster for Parasite. Art by teamed up with the graphic design and
Andrew Bannister.
illustration extraordinaires over at La Boca,
who have rendered the tiered social strata
of Bong’s domestic setting in spectacular
fashion.
Parasite is littered with memorable moments,
and this alternate artwork cleverly alludes to
some of them. As well as a nod to the original
international poster, there’s plenty of Easter
eggs for fans to sink their teeth into, from
a peach to Ki-woo’s “metaphorical” suseok.
The eagle-eyed among you may also spot a
hidden message in morse code.
Renowned independent design studio La
Boca have been behind some of our favourite
pieces of alternate film art of recent years,
including the 90th anniversary poster for
Metropolis and recent work for Honey Boy
and In Fabric.
It’s a beaut, the sort of movie poster that
doubles as an expression of fandom and a
lovely addition to a living room’s statement
wall free of context. - Mubi
By Jisu Choi Mondo released their own Parasite poster back in October, cre- Parasite fan art by Charlie Bowater.
46 ated by the superb Winnipeg-based artist Randy Ortiz. 47
 OUT OF BOX
DAVID CARSON
Chaos Theory
David Carson read the handbook of ‘good’ graphic design. Then he tore it
up, rewrote the rules and found a way to leave his mark.
D
avid Carson is an internationally ac-
claimed graphic designerwho hit hard in the
early nineties with Beach Culture and Ray Gun-
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
magazines. His work was intuitive, daring, loose.
He revolutionised the font game and turned
traditional typographical design theory on its
head. And by fusing sophisticated, conceptual
ideas with child-like simplicity, he became an
art star in a medium that’s generally considered
background. His first book, with Lewis Black-
well, The End of Print, is the top-selling graphic
design book of all time.Newsweek wrote that
he “changed the public face of graphic design.”
London-based Creative Review called him “the
most famous graphic designer on the planet”.
And David Byrne, Nine Inch Nails and Bush con-
tracted his unique eye to design their wares, as
did Pepsi, Toyota and Microsoft.
But his visual work is only part of it. He lectures
internationally, and has garnered a cult follow-
ing. He is a lifelong surfer and doting father. I
met him in 2001 when we worked together on
Big Surf, an NY-spawned single-issue maga-
zine. His downtown studio was a mess. Never
in my life had I seen so many icons on a single
computer screen. He seemed to be juggling
fifty jobs. I was concerned about our deadline,
the precious art sent in by contributors that lay
scattered haphazardly about his floor, whether
he even cared. We were a couple of month’s
late with the issue, but of course it won design
awards, and is still talked about today.
48
https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/art-2/david-carson/
Which is to say that there is a lot of chance and
chaos theory in Carson’s work, but somehow the
chips or the cards or the drops of coffee fall in
perfect disorder.
Some years back he moved his business into a
small studio on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.
A few yards down the road was a peculiarsign: it
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
read ‘DRUNK DRIVER’ in black, block text, with
‘CALL 911’ just below. Carson marvelled at it.
When it came time to put up a sign of his own he
copied the exact font, colour, shape and scale:
‘GRAPHIC DESIGNER CALL 457-5652’.
You were a teacher before you were a graphic
designer. How did you make the shift?
David Carson: I was teaching my first year at a
strange little cult religious school in Oregon. I
had grades one through twelve all day, in one
room. When they had a question to ask they ei-
ther raised an American flag or a Christian flag,
depending on what kind of question it was.
Strange experience! Anyway, I got a postcard
announcing a two-week graphic design work-
shop during the summer, and it described what
they would be studying. It was for high school
seniors. I read the description and thought,
‘Wow, that’s a profession? You can be creative,
have fun, make stuff and get paid?’ So I called
and asked the school, University of Arizona in
Tucson, if I could come, and they said, ‘Sure.’
I returned to Southern California when I was done
teaching, where I had secured a job with Nancy
Katin [Katin surf trunks]. I worked for a few weeks,
not positive if I was really going to the graphic
design workshop or not. Finally I told my boss,
Nancy Katin, that I needed two weeks off in the
middle of the summer to attend this workshop.
49

She
told
me if I left
for the work-
shop, I would not
have a job when I re-
turned. That made the
decision a bit more diffi-
cult, but somehow I felt
I had to try this graphic
design thing. And I did.
Luckily, I had a very
cool, funny and good
guy instructor, Jackson
Boelts. It’s hard to say
if I would have been as
interested had I had a
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
loser teacher. But at the
end of those two weeks
it was so clear to me:
That’s what I wanted to
do.
What do you consider
to be your career high-
lights?
In terms of work I would
really say Beach Culture
magazine, for a number
of different reasons. It
was the first time all
my earlier training had
a chance to come to-
gether. I had done Tran-
sworld Skateboarding, I
had moved to the East
Coast to do Musician
and Billboard, and then
after I got fired for the
design being too radi-
cal. I’d heard that Surf-
er Publications were
talking about doing
this more experimen-
tal magazine, and I flew
out to California to in-
ter-
v i e w f o r
the job. Beach Culture
was never intended to
be a surf magazine. It
was loosely hung on this
idea that people at the
beach also enjoy other
things — it was an atti-
tude. It was myself and
the editor, Neil Feine-
man, in the back of the
Surfer offices, literally
in the warehouse, just
doing our thing. I look
back now and it was so
pure. I was living with it
around the clock. We did
every issue like it was
our last. I was so broke I
was scrounging for gas
or lunch money half the
time, but it didn’t matter.
We were experimenting.
My thing had yet to take
off at that time, but the
issues still hold up well.
They shut it down about
a year before the whole
street culture thing
kicked in, which was a
shame.
And then much later the
work I did for Nine Inch
Nails, packaging and
posters and everything.
TreReznor was a real-
ly interesting person to
work with. We hit it off,
just a great working re-
lationship. Just the idea
that you could inter-
pret some-
b o d y ’ s
music and
lyrics in a
way that
they’re
a coffee and watch the time dealing with email I think every kid is an
world. It’s social; it’s an stuff. I get a lot of stu- artist and it gradual-
event. dents doing assign- ly gets beaten out of
ments on me. them as they grow
What artists have in- up. ‘No, Billy, cows ar-
and I wouldn’t want
happy with was really spired you? How do you like being en’t purple,’ that kind
somebody working for
satisfying. I remember I always have trouble a father? of stuff. And I always
me who wasn’t just as
getting an email from with that question, and I love it, and I love kids. remember this study
into it.’
Trent when we were some of it comes from It’s a little tough be- where a teacher went
Early on in my career
done saying that he was not having schooling cause when I was in into a first grade class
someone wanted me
really happy about the and never learning who New York their moth- and asked, ‘How many
to talk to this group of
work. I put it up on my specifically the people er moved them away, of you are artists?’ And
high finance, venture
office wall.I’m also most were, the schools of and has moved them of course the whole
capitalist people, and I
proud of — I think it was thought, etc. I hate to around ever since, like class raises their
was just kind of dread-
within a year of each come off like I don’t fol- nine different states in hands. Then he goes to
ing it, thinking, ‘What
other — getting listed low anyone, but there’s eight years. But one second grade and asks
will I have in common
in The Encyclopedia of no one person. Grow- of the things I’m very the same question and
with these people?’ And
Surfing and A History of ing up, I memorised proud of is that I have a gets the same results,
what struck me after-
Graphic Design. all the surf mags — I very close relationship the stuff is hanging on
wards is how almost
can pick photos in the with my two kids, Luci the fridge, the parents
all of them came up to
Your graphic design old mags and tell you just turned eleven, and love it, all kids raising
get a book signed or to
work soon expanded the caption. [Miki] Dora Luke is twelve. their hands. But by the
make a comment and I
into giving talks and was always my number I gave a lecture in New time he gets up to sixth
thought, ‘Whoa, there is
lectures. Now it seems one hero in that world. York two weeks ago, or seventh grade and
a bigger message here
your renowned for both. and it was the first time asks the same ques-
than just putting type
GRAPHI-K, JUNE 30, 2020
And the talks seem to I know you travel often, either of my kids had tion, only a couple of
on top of type!’
attract far more than so a ‘Day in the Life’ heard me lecture. It kids raise their hands.
just the visual arts might be tough. But was kind of a big deal, It’s been beaten out of
What is it you like most
crowd… what’s, say, a month in I was a little nervous the rest of them.
about magazines?
My next book is called your life like? about it. I got them
Unlike the web, mags
The Rules of Graphic Just in the last few special treatment, Do you have ever
are surprisingly social.
Design, but it’s really months I lectured to front row seats, bought have moments of self-
When I travel, I make a
much more than that. I 1,200 people in Ireland, ‘em drinks. It went re- doubt?
plan to go into the part
think it’s about creativi- and then I was surfing ally good, and after-
of the city with the cool-
ty and trusting yourself in the Caribbean, and ward they had a Q&A, I’m very comfortable
est mag store, also vis-
and using who you are then I gave a lecture and I was shocked to with how I work and
it the CD store and buy
in your work, whatev- to the graduate pro- see my twelve-year- what I do and my eye. I
some new stuff ‘cause I
er that work is. One of gramme in architec- old son raise his hand, know that I can look at
like the covers, maybe
the early criticisms of ture at Penn State, and and they brought him something and make it
pick up a few clothes,
my work was that it was now I’m in New York the microphone and he good. I don’t question,
shoes, whatever, have
‘self-indulgent’ and I’d seeing about moving said, ‘Well, I have three I don’t wonder if some-
say, ‘Hell yeah it is, my business here. I comments I want- thing’s up to par. I do go
I’m totally into it, I’m don’t cook. People ask ed to make. Number back to old work and
totally absorbed in where I’m based and one, I really enjoyed think it’s horrible. But
it, and part of I say, ‘I’m not sure.’ I’m the show. And number then I’ll turn the page
me hopes kind of homeless right two, I didn’t realise you and see something I’m
it gets rec- now. I love Europe. I were so funny, Dad. proud of. My work has
ognised was thinking of mov- And number three, why never been something
ing to Biarritz… But boy were there more pic- I’ve had to force.
– typical day? Some- tures of Luci than me?’
times I wish I had one. I There’s a story I heard - Jamie
feel myself wanting for you tell at one of your Brisick, 2011
more of a base. I prob- talks about kids being
ably spend too much innately creative…
50 51
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