Sayart.net
Maria Kim sayart2022@gmail.com 

▲ Makerkeeper 

The 21st Seoul Design Festival is being held at Hall C on the 3rd floor of COEX, Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul from the 20th.

This festival is a design-related exhibition that first opened in 2002. With the motto of ‘designer promotion’, this event is a place to see domestic and international design trends with design brands and companies.

The organizers explained, “We are creating a forum for exchange to help Korean designers advance into the world and introduce world designers to Korea.”

The festival has promoted 2,374 brands and 5,238 designers over the past 20 years. So far, the cumulative number of visitors has reached a total of 1.18 million.

At the Makerkeeper booth, Seyart met and interviewed CEO Kim Jin-joo that day. 

▲Makerkeeper booth, CEO Kim Jin-joo Photo by Maria Kim

“As I was raising two children, I was able to draw inspiration from their free-spirited drawings. Wanting to protect their creative moments, I started Makerkeeper. I support all mothers raising children. I support the moment their children express themselves so that they can be produced and distributed through pop-up stores. As a female entrepreneur, I was certified as a preliminary social enterprise this year, and I think my social mission is to create a space and culture where various classes can freely express themselves. I am recruiting and educating youth mentors. I am also doing many things to create jobs for them. Next year, I am staying in the US from June to the end of July in line with the children's vacation, and I am thinking of running a free drawing space and program.” Kim Jin-joo said.

▲The 21st Seoul Design Festival Makerkeeper booth Photo by Maria Kim