Dignitaries, including (from left) Eom Tae-kwan, CEO of Osstem Implant, Wi Sung-ho, President of the Gwangju Institute of Design Promotion, Park Gun-soo, President of Korea Polytechnic University, Jeong Yang-ho, KEIT President, Park Jin-kyu, vice minister of trade, industry and energy, Yoon Sang-heum, president of the Korea Institute of Design Promotion (KIDP), Seok Yeong-cheol, KIAT president, Lee Gil-hyung, chairman of the Korean Federation of Design Associations and  Lee Sang-yup, managing director of Hyundai Motor attend the Design Korea 2021, which  kicked off at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, on Oct. 6. (Photo: KIDP)

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Oct. 6 that it held Design Korea 2021, Korea’s leading design fair, at the aT Center in Yangjae-dong, Seoul, from Oct. 6 to 10.

Under the theme of “Design, Lead Innovation: Carbon Neutral,” the event explored a sustainable future design ecosystem through domestic and foreign designs, and put the socioeconomic roles of design in a fresh spotlight.

Various programs were prepared for a virtuous cycle of design ecosystem, including a design business matching program, a design startup pitching program and a junior designer job matching program.

The organizing committee created online and offline exhibition halls such as the Design Business Hall, the Design Startups Hall and the Design Job Fair Hall with about 2,000 works from about 690 companies.

On exhibit were 50 innovative products from large and medium-sized companies, those from 100 excellent design companies and startups, 80 excellent design selected products, 80 winners of the Korea Design Exhibition and 300 works selected through government projects.

The Design Business Hall showed directions for the social roles of design and designers through exhibitions of innovative products from large and medium-sized companies and overseas companies suitable for the subject of carbon neutrality.

The Design Business Enterprises Hall consisted of design leaders leading a design ecosystem in Korea, good design (GD) award-winning products and companies and matches companies in the design business.

The Design Startups Hall supported the creation of new design businesses by attracting investment and buyers to startups with excellent design ideas and products.

The Design Job Fair Hall ran exhibitions and support programs to help graduates and seniors of design colleges and unemployed designers get decent jobs.

The venue of the Design Korea 2021.

The Korea Design Awards and the Good Design Product Selection were also held to form a consensus on the value of design and spread design utilization.

The Silver Tower Order of Industrial Merit, the highest award, went to Hyundai Motor Executive Director Lee Sang-yeop, who took the brand image of the Korean automobile industry in the global market to the next level by re-establishing the design philosophy for the Genesis brand.

The Industrial Medal went to Koreana Cosmetics CEO Yoo Hak-soo, who has been introducing K-beauty’s innovative design to the global market with differentiated emotional designs through collaborations with various artists.

The Service Merit Medal was awarded to Lee Eun-sil, a professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology who contributed to the development of central and local government brands.

A total of six companies won the Presidential Medal, including District Holdings, which is leading innovative spatial experience design using digital immersive media technology.

Osstem Implant’s dental chair K5 Unit Chair took home the Presidential Prize while Samsung Electronics’ Bespoke Cube TM Air and Arfel’s electric height-adjusting washbasin picked up the Prime Minister’s Prize at the GD Product Awards.

The Design Korea 2021 presented international conferences and seminars, the showcase of participating products through Korea’s representative online malls and online meetings between exhibitors and domestic and foreign buyers.