Jinyoung Lee

My main reason for applying to Goldsmiths is to make a chance to reframe my professional practice and establish international cooperation and research-based work. Another primary aim is sharing holistic experiences with my family in London. 

The question for me was what my true identity as a designer was before applying for this course. In my past work experience, I have engaged in various activities, the design of everyday goods, corporate brands and space. In retrospect, I have tried to attain a proper resolution to the problems through a fundamental analysis of the given problem rather than relying on particular theory and methodology.n However, the more I worked, the more I started asking myself what the primary reason I design is. This critical question about the origin of the problem is essential to shaping my life as a designer.

In an era of radical change where algorithms replace designers, I realised that it is necessary to define first what the problem is, rather than solve it. Fortunately, I have started to get clues about how to find these ambiguous problems as I get to realise about social change in a combined world in the shift toward sustainability in this course.

I have conducted the ‘KLEM project’, a social project which provides fundamental solutions to improve some of the most vulnerable African communities by offering education opportunities. I have developed a business plan and shoe design based on the ‘open design solution’ concept and showed them freely. Thankfully, I have collaborated with brilliant national and overseas-related organisations over five years.