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Falling in Love with Design that Changes the World
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2014-10-16 13:52
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김태진.jpg (77.30 KB)Mr. Kim Tae-jin who swept the top three design awards in the world said, "I find great pleasure in contributing to environmental protection and creating social value through design."
Kim Tae-jin, who is a senior in the Department of Industrial Design at Dongseo University, recently received the top three design awards in the world successively. In 2012, Mr. Kim was awarded the Red Dot Design Award in Singapore for using ultrasonic waves to create a cane called the ‘Eye Stick’ for the blind, and last year he was awarded the iF Design Award in Germany by creating the ‘Magic Comb,’ which allows for easy hair removal from hair brushes. Finally, he was awarded the IDEA Design Award in the U.S. for the ‘Eye Stick’ and ‘Magic Comb.’ For a design major in Busan to win the top three design awards in the world is truly exceptional and unprecedented.
Ever since he was a child, Mr. Kim was interested in inventions. He then entered university as an industrial design major after reading a design book in his second year of high school, which attracted him to the possibilities of creating social value through design. Kim Tae-jin explains how he decided to enter all three international design competitions. “I was shocked to hear that one of my classmates submitted a piece to Red Dot, which is one of the top three design competitions in the world. I resolved to win all three awards before I graduated from university."
He carefully read through the submission guidelines on the Red Dot homepage and even consulted the competition organizer over e-mail. Mr. Kim said, "After watching a news report about how blind people get into many accidents while walking on the street, I thought of designing something that could help them.”
After being awarded the Red Dot Design Award and gaining more confidence, in 2013 Mr. Kim and his classmate submitted the ‘Magic Comb’ for the iF Design Award held in Germany. He invented the ‘Magic Comb’ after noticing how young women often have a difficult time removing hair from their roller hair brush. The ‘Magic Comb’ was designed so that by turning its handle, the teeth of the comb would turn inward making it easy for hair to be removed. Mr. Kim then received the IDEA Design Award in the U.S. with his inventions, the ‘Eye Stick’ and the ‘Magic Comb.’
Early this year, Mr. Kim took up a new challenge. “When I visited a sewing factory by chance, I learned that there are 250 tons of fabric thrown out every day, and I started to think about how I could use design to make the best use of the remaining fabric.” He eventually turned the fabric remnants into air fresheners made in the shape of a cactus flower pot.
After manufacturing sample goods with the support of the university, he recruited sponsors by posting the photograph and purpose of the project on the Internet. "I manufactured hundreds of air fresheners with the 5 million won that I received from 122 sponsors. I gave the air fresheners to my sponsors and donated the rest of the proceeds to an environmental organization.”
Mr. Kim spoke of his aspirations. “My desire is to continue to create social value through protecting the environment and helping people with disabilities." He also received the ‘2013 Korea Talent Award’ from the Ministry of Education and Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity as well as the ‘Love Busan Outstanding Talent Award’ from the Busan Chamber of Commerce & Industry last July.
Kim Tae-jin, who is a senior in the Department of Industrial Design at Dongseo University, recently received the top three design awards in the world successively. In 2012, Mr. Kim was awarded the Red Dot Design Award in Singapore for using ultrasonic waves to create a cane called the ‘Eye Stick’ for the blind, and last year he was awarded the iF Design Award in Germany by creating the ‘Magic Comb,’ which allows for easy hair removal from hair brushes. Finally, he was awarded the IDEA Design Award in the U.S. for the ‘Eye Stick’ and ‘Magic Comb.’ For a design major in Busan to win the top three design awards in the world is truly exceptional and unprecedented.
Ever since he was a child, Mr. Kim was interested in inventions. He then entered university as an industrial design major after reading a design book in his second year of high school, which attracted him to the possibilities of creating social value through design. Kim Tae-jin explains how he decided to enter all three international design competitions. “I was shocked to hear that one of my classmates submitted a piece to Red Dot, which is one of the top three design competitions in the world. I resolved to win all three awards before I graduated from university."
He carefully read through the submission guidelines on the Red Dot homepage and even consulted the competition organizer over e-mail. Mr. Kim said, "After watching a news report about how blind people get into many accidents while walking on the street, I thought of designing something that could help them.”
After being awarded the Red Dot Design Award and gaining more confidence, in 2013 Mr. Kim and his classmate submitted the ‘Magic Comb’ for the iF Design Award held in Germany. He invented the ‘Magic Comb’ after noticing how young women often have a difficult time removing hair from their roller hair brush. The ‘Magic Comb’ was designed so that by turning its handle, the teeth of the comb would turn inward making it easy for hair to be removed. Mr. Kim then received the IDEA Design Award in the U.S. with his inventions, the ‘Eye Stick’ and the ‘Magic Comb.’
Early this year, Mr. Kim took up a new challenge. “When I visited a sewing factory by chance, I learned that there are 250 tons of fabric thrown out every day, and I started to think about how I could use design to make the best use of the remaining fabric.” He eventually turned the fabric remnants into air fresheners made in the shape of a cactus flower pot.
After manufacturing sample goods with the support of the university, he recruited sponsors by posting the photograph and purpose of the project on the Internet. "I manufactured hundreds of air fresheners with the 5 million won that I received from 122 sponsors. I gave the air fresheners to my sponsors and donated the rest of the proceeds to an environmental organization.”
Mr. Kim spoke of his aspirations. “My desire is to continue to create social value through protecting the environment and helping people with disabilities." He also received the ‘2013 Korea Talent Award’ from the Ministry of Education and Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity as well as the ‘Love Busan Outstanding Talent Award’ from the Busan Chamber of Commerce & Industry last July.