Gwangju Design Biennale highlights industry importance through corporate products

The Gwangju Design Biennale focuses on showcasing corporate products, emphasizing the importance of design in various industries and technological developments.

An LG MoodUP refrigerator, known for having customizable door panels and color options, is on display to contrast how the household kitchen space has drastically changed compared to the past at the 10th edition of the Gwangju Design Biennale. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

GWANGJU — When Ken Nah, a professor of design at Hongik University, said in February that he wants visitors to “meet design,” he meant it quite literally.

The 10th edition of the Gwangju Design Biennale, which Nah took the helm of as the director, divided the main exhibition’s sections according to technology, lifestyle, culture and business. But the common denominator was that all sections were ultimately centered on showcasing corporate products.

“We were conflicted over how we were going to present design: industry-wise or art-wise?” Nah said during a press preview of the biennale earlier this month. Eventually, he decided on going industrial.

“Design is an important tool in all industries, which is why it’s crucial for business innovation. That’s why we placed the focus on evolution, because design evolves along with technological development, and diversity, because design can provide solutions to a wide range of businesses all over the world.”

"Korean Tiger Automata" by design studio Automata [SHIN MIN-HEE]

Inside the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition space are products or content from businesses, including electronics conglomerates Samsung and LG, outdoor brand K2, car manufacturer Hyundai Motor and K-pop production company Zanybros.

They were arranged by how each company’s creation is used in everyday life. A Samsung Bespoke refrigerator, known for having customizable door panels and color options, is on display to contrast how the household kitchen space has drastically changed compared to the past.

The standard body types of Korean men and women according to age range, according to the Korea Apparel Testing & Research Institute. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

In addition to customization, personalization is another factor that design focuses on today. Many of the chairs, helmets, underwear, shoes and even wheelchairs on the market are standardized based on the average body type in each country. In Korea, the data comes from the Korea Apparel Testing & Research Institute’s study on the height and body measurements of men and women, distributed according to age range.

Now, it’s easy to snap a quick face scan and create personalized eyewear tailored to a specific person, Kim Sun-ah, one of the biennale’s curators, said. The same goes for houses.

“Design is no longer considered an expertise; anyone can be a designer,” Kim said while touring several home interior inspiration displays on-site. This section is dedicated to showing how the rooms of people of different ages, nationalities, careers and even pet species are highly differentiated.

The "111 Navy Chair" by Emeco is a chair made from recycled plastic Coca-Cola bottles. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

While design is a pivotal force in moving forward, the biennale also reflected on historic past designs, like Band-Aid, flip-flops, soft contact lenses, the barcode and paper clips. These designs proved to have great economic value. Take soft contact lenses, for example: Its global market size was valued at $9.9 billion in 2022, according to data by Fortune Business Insights.

The 10th Gwangju Design Biennale continues until Nov. 7. The Gwangju Biennale Exhibition space is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Reservations for tickets can be made on Naver.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]