London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

A look at the contemporary Korean designers at Tent London 2014

Four Korean design studios came to Tent London this year. There’s a gallery of their stalls at the bottom of this brief post.

Kim Hyunjoo of Kim Hyunjoo Studio + MZDB
Kim Hyunjoo of Kim Hyunjoo Studio + MZDB

Zeup Design Studio presented some colourful pens which looked like pieces of lemongrass, while Kim HyunJoo Studio presented pens that also doubled as clips and as bookmarks. It was a shame the latter were not for sale – the range of colours was especially appealing. Kim HyunJoo also had some intriguing plates made out of hanji. The sheets of paper were strengthened with thin strips of aluminium, like veins in a leaf, which enabled you to bend them into different shapes. The sheets came in two colours: the brown colour was produced by lacquering the paper with Ottchil, thus making the plate washable.

The stall of Xerock Studio
The stall of Xerock Studio

Xerock Studio came to 100% Design in 2012 as a guest of the Korean pavilion, presenting a cabinet made of tree bark. At Tent London this year the company explored the contrast in texture between bark and high-gloss lacquered wood for a fresh look.

A collective of graduates from Hanyang University Institute of Design contributed the fourth stall with a varied range of products. For me, the most evocative was the celadon-coloured ceramic mountain sculpture which served as an incense burner. Lovely. More products in the gallery below.

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