ILTAL is a Korean word, which translates most directly to deviation, but carries with it certain connotations which are culturally specific. ILTAL finds expression through acts which violate established social norms, and is typically associated with the period of adolescence.

To me, ILTAL is about making decisions based on my own ideology instead of adopting dominant social norms without criticism.

In its cultural context specific to Korea, ILTAL typically carries a connection to the period of adolescence, and because of this, ILTAL began as a way for me to find my identity.

Traditional Korean society places tremendous importance on conformity, to a much greater degree than most western cultures. In this world where following the norm is praised, ILTAL has negative connotations. Despite this, my teenage ILTAL days remain the most memorable time in my life. ILTAL began as all of the things I did to feel freedom, despite not aligning with what was already established.

However ILTAL cannot only be defined as, or confined to mere notions of teenage rebellion. ILTAL matures with us as we do, and the concept remains integral to me as an adult. If ILTAL once helped me to find my identity, now ILTAL helps me to live in the world remaining truthful to the values and ideology that it gave to me.

This once again can manifest in a variety of ways, but most crucially, ILTAL emboldens me to be vocal about issues that matter to me, and to try and live each day matching what I value and believe to my actions.

Personal project
Immersive art installation exhibition by THAT YEAR

We are living in an information age, in which we are constantly dwelling in the digital world. We talk, search, share, watch and listen on our various devices: phones, computers, smart watches, voice assistants and more. As these interactions with technology become the modern day norm, individuals grow personal relationships with the digital world. What is virtual gets embedded in the physical world, and they start to become inseparable.

Digital and textile structures are both representations of things generated by binary code. Presence: In Sync is a visual translation of the relationship between an individuals’ physical world and digital world, using the computer and knit patterns as mediums. The audience is invited to reflect upon this convergence of worlds by participating in both digital and tactile interactions through a website and a knitted upholstery.

How has digital technology substituted things from your daily life?
And what do you feel about it?

Immersive art installation presented by Stock Piler, shown at the Hoxton Hotel, Portland.

JungJung Land is a land where everybody is welcome. Everyone follows each other and their identities slowly merge. Values looked up to in this world are to have good ideas, to live true lives, and to have great abilities.

JungJung Land is my representation of the world we live in now. Social media has turned our lives into something that we can’t really own. Only a few selected parts of our lives are shown after being filtered and edited. People glamorize their lives, usually by following what other people do. The experience our generation has had is homogenized. Individual identities without uniqueness overflows. Showing your true self on social media means making yourself vulnerable. But why? Isn’t social media to show who you really are?

JungJung Land is a land where everybody is welcome. Everyone follows each other and their identities slowly merge. Values looked up to in this world are to have good ideas, to live true lives, and to have great abilities. JungJung Land is my representation of the world we live in now. Social media has turned our lives into something that we can't really own. Only a few selected parts of our lives are shown after being filtered and edited. People glamorize their lives, usually by following what other people do. The experience our generation has had is homogenized. Individual identities without uniqueness overflows. Showing your true self on social media means making yourself vulnerable. But why? Isn't social media to show who you really are?

Personal project
Interactive exhibition hosted by AMPRSND Studio

#Good Idea #True Life #Great Ability collection is designed to express the parallel between the people on social media and the experience I had as a student in Korea.

While I was attending the middle school in Korea (2007-2009), my school system valued uniformity within students. We were required to wear uniforms, and many rules forbade us from altering our appearances; no make-up was allowed; hair color and length was regulated, and many more.

On social media such as on Instagram, I found that there are certain values that are considered "good". People want to eat the same things, go to the same places, and do the same activities according to these trending values. Through a platform that is supposed to be showing people’s true life, it was merging their identity.

I've noticed trends on social media that show off people’s life style: health, food, travel, fashion, friendship, etc. I thought these trends resembled my middle school motto, “to think good idea, to live true life, and to have great ability.”

I create (Hyun)JungJung Land, the land where anything could turn into a JungJung character. People, animals, fruits, trees, clouds, and many more! These characters could easily be seen as fun and playful, but their overarching power might represent more. JungJung Land represents how generalized the world is; homogeneous scenes that everyone experiences due to mass culture and globalization.

I feel home where the toys are. I collect small toys. Although they might all be relatively similar in size and shape, there are so many variations within them: They range from solid colors to simple patterns; some represent cartoon characters or movie stars; large brands have even collaborated with toy brands.

As these toys become more representative of the culture I live in, they bring more comfort to me. This jacquard piece is designed to bring the same feeling of comfort that I feel from these objects, but through the form of fabric.

Recently, I came to realize that the connections between myself and my home are generalized. Because I am not physically in Korea, my knowledge and feelings toward home (Korea) have become superficial. Suddenly, the reality of not knowing much about my home, my friends, and even my family has hit me.

Through this jacquard fabric, I want to communicate the emotion that I’m experiencing. In the pattern, faces are lost in my family photos, and the scenes from Korea and America get merged together in the background.

The sweater was custom made for the website designer, Jon Rinker. In the process of discussing about the design, he wanted a design inspired by embroidered bomber jackets with playfulness. Once the drawing was finished, I chose tufting as a main technique because it creates a fun textural fabric. Also, tufting allows me to mix multiple yarns, and to draw with freedom without structural limitation. For the front, I decided to create four punchcards that can be combined to make a composition similar to the drawing on the back.

Tina (originally my "American name") is a character that represents myself. Tina is usually drawn with the hairstyle and the clothes I wear when I make graffiti.

Without access to legal graffiti walls in Providence, I revived Tina in the form of knit garment. Combination of various knit structures and play with colors are used to bring the character alive.

This sweater is made to show intermingling of different cultures. As a Korean living in America, I’ve experienced diverse cultures, which eventually shaped my identity. To express different cultures clashing into one, I created one composition that is made of different aspects. Within the overall color blocks, there are mixtures of organic shapes, see-through areas, and encased floating knits.

Double-bed knit

RISD, Personal project

When I was growing up, I spent hours and hours at an arcade in Seoul. The childhood memory about arcade games still remain as a topic I often share with my friends. After exploring various ways to knit and weave inspired by arcade games, I created a skirt with prints of toys to resemble a claw machine.

These series of knits are inspired by unhealthy eating lifestyles that people have today.

Single-bed knit

RISD, personal project

Nature has been around forever. Compared to that, man-made objects are just taking baby steps. I’ve created a book that would decompose over time. It was a 6 week project, made with fries from McDonald’s and vegetables from Whole Foods. This piece asks a question to the viewers: Why do artificial things last longer?