This sense · Repetition

A design brand that reinterprets forms and graphics found in Korean history and culture into today's lifestyle. Presenting products across the entire range of daily living, such as bags and living objects, it expands materials discovered in Korean visual culture into modern uses. Bokbokbok is a gift brand developed by Studio Igamgak, focusing on the act of "giving blessings." It translates the symbols of old paintings that wished for good fortune—such as Hwajodo (flower and bird paintings), Chaekgado (bookshelf paintings), and Hojeopdo (butterfly paintings)—into items like silk posters and mobiles. Rather than simply reproducing the original forms of Korean culture, both brands continue to carry on the forms and spirit contained within them into objects that can be experienced in contemporary life.

The meaning deepens if you know the story, but

An item you want to own the moment you see it, even without knowing its background.

I wanted to create a Korean design that possesses both of those qualities.

Q. What was the motivation behind starting Igamgak? I am also curious to know what kind of Korean design and culture you initially wanted to showcase.

Around the time of my college graduation, I was contemplating various paths, including employment. At the time, I had a strong desire to create designs under my own name. Feeling that it was now or never, I proposed to CEO Lee Hae-in, who shared similar thoughts, that we start Igamgak together. Our first project was a set of birth moon earrings made of paper, applying traditional paper craft techniques. From the very beginning, the vision I wanted to present was clear: not the stuffy and outdated image often associated with tradition, but Korean forms that naturally blend into today's daily life. I wanted to create Korean designs that possess both qualities—items whose meaning deepens with knowledge of their story, yet are instantly desirable to own at first sight, even without knowing their background.

Q. Studio Igamgak is currently operating both 'Igamgak' and 'Bokbokbok'. How do the two brands differ, and what was the reason for launching 'Bokbokbok', which is themed around 'fortune', separately?

Igamgak is a design brand that reinterprets forms and graphics found in Korean history and culture through a contemporary sensibility. We create products that encompass all aspects of daily life, from bags to home furnishings. Within this framework, Bokbokbok is a gift brand created to focus on the act of "giving blessings." I believe that the Korean concept of "blessing" is closer to the sentiment of giving to those we cherish than to accumulating it for oneself. During the Joseon Dynasty, the royal court presented Sehwa paintings wishing for good fortune at the start of the new year, and Munbaedo paintings, originally hung on palace gates, spread to the common people and were used as images to ward off misfortune. Examining this culture, I realized that the "act of wishing for blessings" itself could become a brand. If Igamgak is a brand that deals with Korean forms, Bokbokbok is a brand that conveys the Korean heart.

Rather than bringing in subject matter far removed from me simply because it is traditional

I intend to bring out what feels naturally beautiful within me.

Q. Lee Gam-gak states, “Tradition itself is not the entirety of what is Korean.” What does Lee Gam-gak consider to be today’s 'Korean sensibility'?

I do not believe that simply replicating traditional forms exactly makes something Korean. In fact, I found that such an approach often faces limitations in everyday life. What we believe in is the fact that "everything is within us." I consider the sensibilities already inherent in us living in this contemporary era to be the Korean sensibility of today. Therefore, rather than drawing on materials that are distant from me simply because they are traditional, I seek to bring out what I naturally find beautiful within myself. The entire process—from studying the background and history of motifs to understanding the philosophy embedded within them, and finally translating that into objects suited to modern life—is all included in what we consider to be the Korean sensibility.

Q. At Bokbokbok, you translate images derived from traditional paintings—such as flower and bird paintings, tiger and magpie paintings, still-life paintings, and butterfly paintings—into contemporary lifestyle products. What do you consider most important when translating these original forms into modern products?

We consider it most important to convey the spirit contained within a painting, rather than simply reproducing it exactly. The flowers and birds in Hwajodo, the study in Chaekgado, and the tiger and magpie in Hojakdo each embody a wish for good fortune. We study these symbols and narratives before repainting them through a contemporary lens. We also add new experiences created by the subject matter. When a painting is placed on translucent silk, the shadows sway with the light; small butterflies embroidered on the silk of a bell mobile flutter in the breeze, and the bells sway and produce sound. We move beyond merely viewing a painting hanging on a wall to creating an experience through light, movement, and sound. Understanding the meaning embedded in the original and adding a contemporary sensory element is how Bokbokbok handles tradition.

We view locality as an attitude rather than a place.

It is the Korean spirit of thinking of a loved one when seeing something good, wishing them blessings, and handing them over.

Q. What do you think is the most strongly reflected regional characteristic in the brand?

Rather than singling out a single physical location, we believe that the entire region of Korea is infused into our work. Visiting palaces and museums to linger on artifacts and examining the paintings and objects that have developed in each region is part of our daily routine. The visual culture of the Joseon Dynasty and the paintings and objects widely loved by both the royal court and the common people serve as a major source for our work. However, the regionality we envision is more of an attitude than a place. It is the Korean mindset of thinking of a loved one upon seeing something beautiful, wishing them good fortune, and offering it to them. We believe that this habit of the heart is the regionality most deeply reflected in *Igamgak* and *Bokbokbok*.

Q. What kind of brand does Lee Gam-gak consider a 'good local brand'?

I believe a good local brand is one that creates the culture it knows best using its own language. Nordic design and American style, for instance, originated from what the people of those regions were most familiar with and knew best. Although we studied based on Western design history, our starting point was asking ourselves, as Koreans, what kind of design only we could create. Designs nourished by the culture of each region possess distinct originality, and as such brands proliferate, the range of design experiences available to people becomes more diverse. I consider a good local brand to be one that is rooted in its own culture while remaining connected to contemporary life.

Q. Igamgak and Bokbokbok have met customers directly through various pop-ups. What new things have you discovered while introducing your products offline?

We constantly confirm that our products are items that can only be fully appreciated when encountered in person. Nobang posters reveal their reflections and shadows only when exposed to light, and bell mobiles produce sound only when swayed. I frequently witnessed moments in person where customers grasped, through their fingertips and ears, characteristics that were not fully conveyed on screen. In-person, many customers selected items while thinking of the person they were giving the gift to. Watching conversations exchanged in front of the display shelves—such as “This would suit someone” or “I want to convey the meaning of this painting”—reaffirmed our commitment to creating items that convey heartfelt sentiments. It was also intriguing to see that products from Igamgak, not just Bokbokbok, are frequently chosen as gifts.

Q. In this <Edit DEPT: Neo Local>, which products do you intend to focus on to tell the stories of Igamgak and Bokbokbok?

We intend to present the products of both brands woven into a single narrative. While Egamgak broadly develops Korean aesthetics centered on the "authenticity" discovered through relationships, Bokbokbok takes the theme of "fortune" from that foundation and focuses on the act of conveying heartfelt affection. The items we create traverse the scenes of filling one's space with one's true self and offering affection to a cherished person. This time, alongside Egamgak's living objects, we are showcasing silk posters featuring flower and bird paintings and still-life paintings, bell mobiles depicting insects and butterflies, money envelopes, and tea coasters. In particular, the bell mobile captures the experience of appreciating paintings through sound. We also plan to introduce new products at this event.

The locality I want to showcase in this pop-up is the 'heart of conveying blessings.'

Q. How does the theme of 'Neo Local' resonate with Igamgak, a company that has transformed materials found in traditional culture into today's products?

When I first heard the term 'Neo Local,' I felt as though a name had been given to the work we have been doing from the very beginning. Tradition is not preserved in a finished state but continues to grow, and we have been envisioning the next step by adding today's materials and uses to the original form. The locality we wish to showcase in this pop-up is the 'heart of conveying blessings.' Just as the Joseon Dynasty wished for the well-being of others through Sehwa paintings, we want to create a scene where people today convey their affection through objects symbolizing 'Bok-bok-bok.' We believe this is the most authentically Korean aspect of our lives, a landscape that naturally connects to contemporary living.

Maker's Pick

Street poster

This is Bokbokbok’s signature product, featuring antique paintings wishing for good fortune transferred onto thin, transparent silk. It reinterprets the symbols and stories found in traditional paintings, such as *Hwajodo* (flower and bird paintings) and *Chaekgado* (still-life paintings), through a contemporary lens, incorporating materials that allow light to pass through. When light hits the poster, a shadow is cast behind the image, creating different scenes depending on the time and space. Hanging it in your own space makes it an object that reveals your taste, while giving it to a loved one serves as a gift wishing for good fortune. This product perfectly exemplifies Bokbokbok’s design philosophy, which translates the spirit contained within old paintings—rather than the mere form—into modern materials and experiences.

COMING SOON!

In the upcoming September, may you receive blessings Meet us in person at the pop-up!

September 17-30, 2026, The Hyundai Seoul B1 Event Hall

fin.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗲 leegamgak·BokBokBok

Saeeum Kim

Edeit Seulgi Lee