Jinyang Koo

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Jinyang Koo ("JK") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

JK : I graduated from Osaka Mode, Gakuen Japan. Major in Interior Design course. I love to challenge myself and design different creatures. I am looking forward to taking good ideas from various fields, using them in different situations and always pursuing the fun of design.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

JK : I often find my ideas and inspiration through motion graphic design video, CG, and online samples. The reason I want to become a designer is because I would love to deliver happiness to people throughout my artwork and design. Since I was a high school student, I have discovered that I love to design.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

JK : I choose to become a designer on my own.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

JK : My design artworks include interior design, product design, graphic design, and 3D modeling. The type of design I wish to design more of is 3D modeling or rendering some cool scenes for my client.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

JK : Don't be afraid to showcase your artwork & talent, expose yourself on the internet or any award competition. You and your work may get the chance to be seen.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

JK : A good designer provides 100% of good work and people feel happy about that. A great designer provides more than 100% of good work and it makes people feel touched for that.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

JK : To evaluate a good design, it considers how many people get affected and how long your design lasts for. Before evaluating it, make sure it has a strong and good concept. The concept is the main part of the design, and it’s very important. Besides the functions and ease of use, we should pay more attention to the concept.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

JK : Good design not only helps to improve our lifestyle, but it also affects the whole society and the environment. This is why I think it is our responsibility to invest in good design.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

JK : I’m open to collaborating with any design studio. I would love to try to explore more in furniture joint parts design or CG animation etc.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

JK : My dream project will be advertising video and short animation. This is not my major but I would love to give a try on this.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

JK : I often seek opinions from different people, especially those who are not in the design field. So that I can get inspiration from the stories of people who work in different fields.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

JK : The designer masters that I got inspired by are Ando Tadao, Kuma Kengo, and some of the others.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

JK : Ando Tadao, his design is simple yet unforgettable.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

JK : One of my greatest designs is Dond, it is my first time using a 3D printer to create the joint parts for the furniture. My goal for Dond is to take part in a consumer everyday needs and to enjoy an easier lifestyle for any occasion regardless of indoor or outdoor.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

JK : My recipe is to keep learning and improving yourself. Even though I’m a designer now, I still keep improving and learning every day in order to be better. Meet more people, think more, and the reason behind each of the designs. It helps to train your thinking skills and get more ideas while doing design.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

JK : I think I would become a writer. I always want to become a storyteller.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

JK : For me, design is to improve people's lifestyle and make them feel happier.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

JK : My family and my friends are my biggest supporters. They always encourage and motivate me to become better.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

JK : My family and my friends. They helped me to become a better designer and a better person.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

JK : I’m still facing a lot of obstacles. But I love those challenge.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

JK : Passion is the most important.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

JK : I would like to collaborate with other designers or any design studio. Feel free to check out my homepage for every new project.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

JK : To become an international designer and seeing more people from different cultures and backgrounds to join me as a team. Helping more people around the world through different ideas and contributing to the community.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

JK : Good idea, good design.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

JK : Everything made in this world is related to design. The items made by designers are seen and used by many people. Therefore, designers should also consider whether it affects the people who use it and the environment when designing. The appearance of good things has a great impact on society.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

JK : Now I’m designing a new series of furniture for people who work from home, and will announce it on my homepage soon.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

JK : I had a very special project in my previous working studio. It is about designing medical equipment. It took more than 6 months to finish everything. We have zero knowledge about medical equipment, so it was a challenge for us, but it was a good experience. We’ve learned how to work out with various manufacturers and how to combine different materials together etc. In the end, this project won many awards, and I’m very proud that I was one of the design team.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

JK : I’m hoping in future we can have more events, a platform for designers to have the chance to communicate with each other.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

JK : I think the design field will become more humanized.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

JK : It is very dependent on the project itself.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

JK : I will start by doing research and open to different opinions and feedback from the people around me. Information comes first before the design starts.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

JK : Always be honest to your design and never forget the passion.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

JK : In my opinion, I would say both.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

JK : Technology gives us better quality and productivity.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

JK : I’m using Cinema 4D, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Vector works, After Effects etc. Nowadays I’m using Ipad pro for sketching and graphic design.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

JK : A very important key is to change your viewpoint of the design.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

JK : Any questions. I’m happy to answer all of them.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

JK : The whole process and imagine how many people will get affected by it.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

JK : I believe in co-designs as we can communicate and learn things from each other. As I’m working alone now, I’m open to collaborate with designers from different backgrounds and cultures.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

JK : There are many people who influence me on my design. Those people who are passionate about their work tend to motivate me a lot.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

JK : Diseño Industrial de La A A La Z, Designed by Apple in California - The Book etc.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

JK : Never stop learning. It is the best and most important skill, it helps you to stay active in various fields. Besides, study and see more other designers’ experiences and their artworks. It will help us in developing our skills.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

JK : I would like to meet and talk with other designers overseas. I love listening about their experience and seeing how they usually work.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

JK : I wouldn’t say I’m famous. But I felt so excited when I got the news about the award. It was one of the best days in my life. And I think I will keep challenging for the next competition.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

JK : Basically I love all the colors but light grey will be my most favorite color. My favorite place is in Paris, favorite season is spring, favorite brand is apple while favorite thing is camera.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

JK : I’m a part of a group to renovate an old funeral hall 5 years ago. I was young at the time, I spent several months with the workers every day on the site. The workers are kind and friendly but they also like to make fun of me sometimes as I’m not accustomed to the site yet. Nevertheless, I have learned a lot and am able to experience the largest construction site in my life. Overall, it was a fun experience for me and I have gained a lot of knowledge.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

JK : I start my day by waking up my daughter every day. She is my daily motivation. After that, I will watch some CG tutorial videos on Youtube and look for some new designs on multiple platforms to push myself and motivate myself.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

JK : No. I wanted to become a musician when I was a kid. Since I moved to Japan about 11 years ago, I started to design and decided to become a designer at that moment.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

JK : I think humans are staying outside of the current planet. Earth is like a place under protection and control. Because it might be getting too much damage from human behavior and air pollution.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

JK : I have my own Homepage and Instagram. Please feel free to take a look and contact me. We can talk about design and anything else. Not only business :)