From K-POP to K-Design: How Kim Sang-yoon is Leading Korea’s New Wave of Global Aesthetics

From Blackpink’s overwhelming stage presence to the influence of icons like Jennie, the world has begun to look beyond music and fashion to design and architecture as Korea’s global culture continues to rise. At the forefront of this movement is Kim Sang-yoon, founder of Listen Communication. He made history not only in his career but also in the global recognition of Korean spatial design when he won first place in the 2024 The World Architecture and Design Award – Prix Versailles Hotel category for his The hanok Heritage House project. The project, which poetically reinterprets traditional Korean architecture in a contemporary context, is considered to harmonize cultural heritage with modern life. This global recognition has further solidified the status of Korean interior architecture, and has become an opportunity to move away from imitating Western minimalism and confidently express Korea’s unique aesthetic identity. While Korean pop culture has captivated the world with its visual magnificence and digital storytelling, Sang Yoon Kim has quietly been instigating a similar revolution in the physical world for over 15 years. He has been unearthing and reconstructing the subtle beauty of Korean materials, spatial rhythms, and craftsmanship. His work does not shout. It whispers with precision, balance, and a gentle conviction of cultural authenticity. In many ways, his design philosophy mirrors the evolution of K-culture, from imitation to innovation, from trend following to trend leading. Just as Blackpink paved the way for K-pop to enter the global stage, Sang Yoon Kim’s work opens up new possibilities for K-design to establish itself in the global design community.