Hanbyul Park, an independent graphic designer, has a simple personal philosophy. “Be open, and be foolish,” she says. “Absorb and express all the good things around you without bias, but never lose sight of yourself in the process.”

Park comes from Seoul, South Korea, and is always finding inspiration in everything around her, including the past. “The project that won the Indigo Design Award is inspired by my childhood memories and the magical world of Disney movies,” she says. Park also draws a lot of inspiration from animation, film, games, and music. “Arts and entertainment are two of the most powerful fields for amplifying human emotions,” Park says. 

Even as a child, Park had a strong love for the arts and a desire to create, but it wasn’t until she went to university that her career path crystallized into design. “My biggest mentors were my university and graduate school professors,” Park says. “They are passionately active in the industry.”

For Park, the most critical aspect of a design is that it reaches its highest artistic expression while staying true to the original purpose and intent. It needs to be accessible and communicate clearly with the audience. To do this, she strikes a delicate balance between creativity and strategy. “It’s essential to establish a clear goal before beginning any design work, and maintaining it through the process,” Park says.

She also makes sure to establish trust and rapport with her clients to ensure a smooth result. “It’s all about respecting time and schedules,” Park says. “I take responsibility for my words and actions, and always maintain open communication with clients.” If she does receive harsh criticism, she takes it in stride. “I assess myself objectively from a third-party perspective, accepting feedback that’s valuable and letting go of what isn’t,” Park says.