SEOUL, May 27 (SayART) - Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul is ready to take you on a sensory journey through the world of fonts at the exhibition "Kkolgabshow: Ttungnibus, Invasion of the Next Generation Characters". The exhibition, which runs from May 20 to June 18 at the Dullegil Gallery on the DDP Museum's 3rd floor, is part of an open curating initiative aimed at showcasing the talents of emerging exhibition planners and designers. 

▲ Tungnibus Kkolgabshow image, Courtesy of DDP.

The question at the heart of this experimental exhibition is whether fonts can be more than just tools for reading and writing. Can they be objects of sensory experience? The answer, as proposed by the Wacky Imagination Studio, the brains behind the exhibition, is a resounding yes.

Originally launched in August 2019 to celebrate Yoon Design's 30th anniversary, the "Kkolgabshow" exhibition explores the boundaries and potential of font design. The show features two videos, "Ttungniverse_Geulmeong Therapy" and "Ttungnibus_Documentary", each of which redefines the value of fonts and invites viewers to delve into the multifaceted universe of letter design.

▲ Artist Image, Courtesy of DDP.

The exhibit includes package products that convey the texture of five different snack flavors, a winner of the 2022 Red Dot Design Award. The Wacky Imagination Studio's innovative approach views fonts as leading characters rather than supporting elements in design projects, expanding the scope of their application into a sensory experience.

▲ Image of writing therapy, Courtesy of DDP.The studio's revolutionary font creation process infuses elements of sound such as 5Hz and 100Hz, deviating from traditional font production methods. The result is variable fonts, in which the shapes morph according to sound. These dynamic fonts can shift and adapt based on various parameters like mouse movement and sound equalizer settings, turning fonts into a playful sensory experience.

Halfway through the exhibition, on June 2, Choi Chi-young, CEO of the Wacky Imagination Studio, will deliver a lecture on branding strategy and share his visions about the future of font design. The event will also feature a performance by electronic musician KIRARA.

DDP's open curating project, supported by the Seoul Design Foundation since 2015, aims to discover and introduce emerging curators and designers. "Kkolgabshow: Ttungnibus" is the second exhibition of this year's series. The next exhibition, the 29th open curating exhibition titled "I Scream," is slated for later this year.

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Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com