#design purpose

I want to create designs that reflect my own unique perspective and have a positive impact on society. I do not just aim to make visually appealing work. I want my designs to offer people new experiences and opportunities to think differently.

While exploring design projects that use traditional elements in class, I was reminded of the character design from K-pop Demon Hunters. This popular animation features a tiger character inspired by the traditional Korean painting Foolish Tiger (Baekho). The character retains the tiger’s satirical and human like personality while being reimagined in a modern K-pop context. The design blends the thick lines and flat colors of folk paintings with contemporary graphic styles, demonstrating how traditional elements can be creatively reinterpreted. As Maggie Kang, one of the creators, explained, “For the demons, it was more difficult to find existing imagery, so we designed them based on how these characters would be used in the story and how they moved” (Kang, 2025). This shows that the creators did not simply replicate traditional elements; they reinterpreted them to fit a modern narrative and cultural context, combining Korean mythology and K-pop in a fresh and engaging way.

I realized that reinterpreting tradition with contemporary techniques can produce fresh and unexpected results that people enjoy. It can also help introduce Korean culture to a global audience. For example, after the animation gained popularity, visitor numbers at Korean traditional museums increased, and interest in folk art merchandise grew sharply. The National Museum of Korea also saw rising sales of “magpie and tiger” items, which were noted for resembling Derpy, along with a significant boost in online store traffic (The Korea Herald).

When I created a poster promoting Seoul, using traditional Korean masks (Tal) as a motif, I represented these traditional symbols in my own style and saw how tradition can take on new value in contemporary design. This project became an important experience that made me realize I want to continue creating designs with my own style that can have a positive impact on society.

During Week 4-5 activities, while researching various works and studying their backgrounds and intentions, I learned that the meaning of a piece can change depending on how it is interpreted. I realized that if we approach design with a broader perspective and a critical mindset, we can create work that has a more meaningful impact on people. To incorporate history, society, and philosophy into design, we must first understand them. This is why I believe that, in addition to developing design skills and techniques, we need to study how to move and engage people. I think this is the main purpose of our CTS class.

I hope to continue growing as a designer who connects tradition and modernity, society and the individual, reinterprets elements through my own perspective, and creates designs that make a positive impact.

(474words)

References

Nguyen, Hanh. “‘KPop Demon Hunters’: Jinu’s Seriously Derpy Tiger Origin Story.” *Salon.com*, 2 July 2025, www.salon.com/2025/07/02/kpop-demon-hunters-derpy-tiger/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

Dale’s Korean Temple Adventures. “Hojak-do – Tiger and Magpie Painting: 호작도.” *Korean Temple Guide*, koreantempleguide.com/hojak-do-tiger-and-magpie-painting-호작도/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

Kirichanskaya, Michele. “Interview with Maggie Kang, Creator of KPop Demon Hunters.” *Geeks OUT*, www.geeksout.org/2025/07/16/interview-with-maggie-kang-creator-of-kpop-demon-hunters/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.