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The partially eaten apple I'm holding in my hand is one of the most successful brands
in the world. Of course, the company in question seems to be struggling a bit recently but
still, when we see this icon, we see innovation and good design. That's what
branding is all about. The definition of the word 'brand' is a name, a logo, or the design language
language of a product that is used to distinguish a company's product from others, but nowadays,
the word's applied not only to products and services, but to nations. That's what we call
national brand. A lot of people are trying to come up with ways to uniquely express the
fact that they made this product and it is made in Korea. Since I was very young, I've
dreamed of becoming a designer. I've thought a lot about how I can express with my designs
the fact that this was made by a Korean. As tradition plays an important role in showing
a nation's history, orientation, and a lot more, my thoughts became a question about
how I can put tradition in a design. So my main question was how I could embed that tradition
in a design. Actually, these days, there is a lot of talk about methods like using traditional
colors, patterns, and shapes. But I wanted to find my own way.
That's what I'm going to be talking about today. There's a fashion designer named Lee Sang-***
in Korea. He is famous for designing fashion products with hangul, the Korean writing system.
This dress, covered with hangul, was designed by Mr. Lee. And on the right side, this toothpick
I'm holding is very familiar to us. Now, let me ask you, which of the two better exposes
tradition? To answer my somewhat ridiculous question, we need to consider the definition
of tradition. The word tradition's dictionary meaning is a way of living and cultural heritage
passed on from the past. Does this mean that tradition does not include things like a traditional
Korean house's external design or Korean dresses' shapes and patterns? In my opinion, no. They
are traditions, to be sure, but the traditions we really need to preserve are not colors
of patterns, but our ancestors' ideologies, thoughts, and way of living.
Then, let us take a look at this dress. Hangul contains our ancestors' wisdom and ideologies,
but I'm not sure about whether the shapes of the hangul characters themselves hold any meaning.
The philosophy, methodology, and the creation process of hangul has not changed throughout
the ages but its individual components' shapes and numbers have changed since its creation,
so I do not think it is a part of tradition. Even so, it still looks more traditional than
a toothpick, right? If you'll lift the flap on the right side of your chair, you'll find
that there is a toothpick inside. Would you mind taking it out and holding it up?
This is a Japanese wooden toothpick, not the starch toothpick we encounter in barbecue restaurants.
Doesn't it have a notch on the upper side? I had thought it was for decoration, but it
turned out to serve a purpose. If you pressure the toothpick along the notch, it'll break.
The broke-off section indicates that the toothpick is already used, and can be used to support
the toothpick when laid on the table. Like this. It's a brilliant idea, but I'm sure that many
of you are unsure why such measures are needed. Actually, This has something to do with Japanese table
manners. In Japan, you have to lay the chopsticks on a supporting wooden block when you're not
using it. As you see, tradition such as table manners is contained within a diminutive toothpick.
There is a Korean example available too. Some of you may be using Samsung smartphones, and
look at the keys; they use dots for vowels. This layout is called chunjiin, and its inventor
Cho Gwang-hyun says that he wasn't really thinking of hangul's theory when he made it.
He just had an idea while reading a book in an American library and created the layout.
Could foreigners have thought of the Japanese toothpick or the chunjiin layout?
No, and I think it was natural that an idea that fits Koreans was thought up by a Korean.
So my conclusion is that attempting to express tradition only by exterior design isn't appropriate;
merely trying to find ideas that make our lives more convenient may contain traditional elements.
We still lack something. Products such as hangul keyboard layouts or toothpicks
cannot be used to promote national brands because foreigners don't need to use these
products at all. But I think that the process of encompassing tradition within a product
should come from pure creation, not imitation. An apple's exterior looks intensely, attractively red,
but its interior is a yellow that evokes its unique, sweet and sour taste. I dream
of designing something like an apple. I dream of designing products that will make lives
convenient all around the world but encompasses Korea's own tradition. Thank you.