We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Subin Park. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Subin below.

Alright, Subin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on in my design career so far is “Clutch.” Clutch is a mental fitness app and online community targeting teenage athletes. Many teenagers hesitate to discuss their mental health issues because they worry about being judged based on their athletic performance. The main goal of the project was to convey that mental health issues are common struggles among their peers and to deliver the message that using Clutch’s programs can bring notable improvements through regular mental health training and professional coaching.

Before working on Clutch, my focus had primarily been on creating visuals based on the brand’s values, message, and unique selling points. However, this project opened my eyes to the importance of considering the end user’s emotional journey and interaction with the product, as well as fostering continuous engagement beyond the moment of using the product by creating a community to connect with others. This approach inspired me to think about a holistic brand experience that could seamlessly blend into users’ daily lives and enhance their engagement with the product and service in future projects.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a visual designer with a strong graphic design background and a passion for creating designs that seamlessly blend into people’s lives and make a positive impact. I initially wanted to be an architect because I was fascinated by blueprints. I loved their clarity and practicality. The clear lines and intuitive numbers captivated me, and I thought it was cool how a blueprint could let everyone involved in a project see and understand the final view of the building. Over time, these factors became my guiding design principles, even though I transitioned my professional passion from architecture to visual design. I believe this fascination with clarity and practicality has influenced my ongoing interest in visual guidelines and design systems. I mainly focus on creating a well-defined visual guidelines to establish a solid and trustworthy foundation for the rest of the design process. This ensures that the design can be effectively expanded and adapted as needed.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being creative is witnessing someone truly grasp the intention behind a particular design element of my design. It’s incredibly fulfilling when the design resonates with someone, vividly and impactfully highlighting the essence of a brand story or even my personal story. It feels like communicating with someone who doesn’t speak the same language or share the same culture, yet the connection is still profoundly felt. I find design fascinating because it has the power to intertwine narrative with human senses—touch, smell, and vision—bringing the main plot points to life with clarity and emotion.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I recently came across Money Book, published by Toss (Viva Republica), a prominent fintech company in Korea. This book, along with its innovative marketing café popup, has inspired me to explore how to translate a digital service and brand into a compelling physical product and space.

The consumer journey, from unboxing the package to opening the first page of the book, offers valuable insights into effective user engagement. Notably, the experience of tearing along the perforated line to reveal a clear and impactful message about the book’s purpose enhances the initial interaction, making it both memorable and meaningful. The café popup complements this experience by showcasing highlights of the book’s content visually, while offering customers a space to enjoy coffee and read.

What stands out is the holistic approach used here, where every touchpoint, from the physical product to the immersive experience of the book and the café, is thoughtfully designed. This strategy emphasizes the potential for creating a more integrated and engaging consumer experience. It highlights the importance of crafting each interaction to ensure that every step contributes to a cohesive and immersive journey for the customer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://subinportfolio.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/subinparkdesign/

Image Credits

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