Meet illustrator and animator from Seoul, Shinyoung Kim.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a Seoul and Rotterdam based animator and illustrator who aims to please the public with my art. I have been working as a professional animator and illustrator since 2015. So far, I have been commissioned by Haagen-Dazs, Lotte World Mall, Snapchat, SM entertainment, Gucci and so on. I was born and raised in South Korea and 2 years ago I moved to Rotterdam, the Netherlands to challenge myself to get out of my comfort zone.

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

Seoul, where I used to live, might be one of the most hectic cities in the world; eternal neon signs, streaming of cars on the streets, energetic people and so on. Compared to Seoul, Rotterdam is a more relaxed city. People seem to prefer riding bikes than driving cars and put value on their free time after work. I love both cities even though the cities have kind of opposite vibes.

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

The best thing about living in Rotterdam is that I get fresh inspirations everyday and everywhere. People in Rotterdam are diverse and each person has a different and unique style. They seem to represent themselves in an atmosphere of freedom. In addition, I can say that Rotterdam is an art-friendly city. I can easily meet beautiful designs or murals on the streets and moreover, museums in Rotterdam have a lot of famous artists’ works. It is a huge gift that I can see brilliant art pieces with good accessibility. The worst thing would obviously be the weather. Especially in winter, the weather in Rotterdam is so gloomy. I rarely see sunshine here, which makes me feel lazy. This led to me to realize how important sunshine is in my life haha. In addition, due to the distance, it is hard for me to meet and spend time with my family. I miss my family all the time.

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

Seoul – Dynamic, Stable, Supportive

Rotterdam – Challenge, Inspiration, Respective

How did you start your career in art?

I developed my interests and basic knowledge of art during my high school and university years. I especially preferred moving images with stories rather than static images on the wall. It made me more eager to study motion design specializing in animation, music videos, commercial advertisements and so forth. After my university graduation, I worked with a motion graphics studio in Seoul called Studio Cobb. This was the beginning of my career. While working on great projects with wonderful members at the studio, I learned a lot of precious things on how to be a professional designer. From the knowledge and attitudes I achieved from the studio, I transitioned to working as a freelancer.

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

Of course. My parents helped and guided me to grow my interest in art. My mother took me to multiple art exhibitions since my infancy and helped me widen my scope towards my vision. Now my father’s social media accounts are all filled with my works. They are really happy with what I am doing now. My boyfriend gives me critical feedbacks, which allows me to see from another perspective. He also cheers me up whenever I get stressed.

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

Whenever I create a new work I always try to add something meaningful in it. This is because I want to keep developing my art concepts by presenting my imaginary world through my artworks. I want the audience to remember my work for a long time. I want to be an artist who supports her clients and audience in different and diverse areas.

I want the audience to remember my work for a long time. I want to be an artist who supports her clients and audience in different and diverse areas.

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

I don’t have a specific artist who I want to collaborate with but I would love to work for some cosmetic brands or fashion brands in the future. In 2018, I had a wonderful experience when my 2D digital designs are transformed into 3D figures and were printed on a pack of ice cream. Facing and touching my designs in the real world is a totally new experience for me. It would be great if I have more opportunities like this.

How would you describe the women around you?

The women around me are independent, active and smart. I don’t mean smart as knowledge or intelligence, but more on knowing how to make the right decision and wise action. We always have non-stop conversations whenever we meet up. Obviously, we are very talkative but it is always worth it.

The women around me are independent, active and smart. I don’t mean smart as knowledge or intelligence, but more on knowing how to make the right decision and wise action.

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

Junkhouse, a Korean street artist, was one of my big inspirations since my youth. I liked her character-based drawing style and bright color usage. Most of all, her works were created not only in her studio but also on the streets. She decorated old streets with her amazing imaginations and beautiful colors. I was fascinated by the combination of the wildness of the materials and the softness of her drawing.

Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

It’s not going to happen soon, but sometimes I am thinking if I could actively work while bringing up a child of my own. Having a tight deadline would be the most challenging. Since the deadlines are fixed, I have to force myself to work, which makes me worry about having work and life balance.

Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?

Don’t make any limitations on yourself.

Photos courtesy of Shinyoung Kim.