From east to west, the Han River courses through the city, dividing Seoul into two halves. The unique geographical environment, historical and cultural roots, and the waves of the new era delineate distinct urban landscapes and intrinsic textures on the north and south banks of the river. Whether it's the juxtaposition of the new and the old, the vertical continuity, or the horizontal expansion, the scale evolves from a macro perspective to subtle nuances. Individual perspectives become indispensable in fields such as architecture, space, art, and branding, reflecting the city's multifaceted essence.

Diverging from other study abroad itineraries, the core objective of this planned journey is to emphasize locality, practical significance, and a "shared experience" closely tied to the understanding of specific locations. We will concentrate on four architectural and interior design firms in Seoul, South Korea. Through their design strategies that consider site, history, environment, contemporary aesthetics, and the functional attributes of space, we aim to delve into the thought processes and societal significance behind their works. The focus is on fostering a firsthand and empathetic connection with the designed spaces.

This "practical and adaptable" design methodology might offer insightful inspiration for our current context. From August 23rd to August 29th, during the 7-day, 6-night itinerary, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the essence of the "location" with Yinji Space. This experience will involve exploring how commercial design in South Korea integrates with art and understanding the individual differences within the overall coordination of site-specific environments. The focus is on gaining firsthand insights during this journey.

The Korean Commercial Design and Art Tour will be led by local architects in Seoul, with one Korean translator and a Chinese colleague from the design firms accompanying the group throughout the entire journey to provide professional translation.

Focus on three architectural and interior design firms: Teo Yang, Z-Lab, U-Lab; four art studios: Park Honggu, Sisan Lee, Rahee Yoon, OMA Space; two local furniture brands: The Edit, Wacello.

Teo Yang, a popular Korean designer, offers an exclusive ‘Art Curation’ course and takes us to the Blacksmith Craft Exhibition and the Incense Ceremony Culture Exhibition, where we can enjoy the collision of art and design.

Architecture firm U-Lab will hold an exclusive materials WORKSHOP, where we will learn about the characteristics of materials, the use of design and innovative methods.

Z-Lab, a pioneering team of B&B designers, will present a lecture on transforming Seoul's hanoks into urban bed and breakfasts under the theme of "locality".

The tour includes a visit to the renowned woodworking artist Honggu Park’s studio, with a tea culture exchange session featuring famous tea master Lee Hea Jin in a century-old Hanok.

Participants will visit the studio of emerging resin artist Rahee Yoon, who has collaborated with renowned architectural firms such as WGNB, LABOTORY, and Studio Unravel.

The tour also includes a visit to the studio of commercial styling artist Lee Sisan, who specializes in creating art using stone, wood, metal, and other materials.

A visit to the famous textile installation art studio OMA Space is included, where participants will experience Zen meditation under the guidance of founder Jang Jiu.

Two professional design courses will be offered during the tour, focusing on commercial and art fields, and covering topics such as exhibitions, restaurants, homestays, offices, galleries, and more.

Stay at luxury hotels including Shilla, Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, as well as Z-Lab-designed urban B&B in Seoul.

Teo Yang Studio is an interior design studio based in Korea, founded by Teo Yang in 2009. The studio specializes in high-end residential and commercial brands, emphasizing contemporary architecture and detailed construction. Their goal is to infuse elegant, highly customized interior spaces with fresh vitality, merging modern and traditional elements, art, and personality to create timeless moments of beauty.

U.lab Interior Design Studio is located in Seoul, Korea, and was founded by Jong-u Kim and Hyunjin Kim in 2007. From its inception, the founders have been passionate about the profound significance of "old spaces." While their work aims to create new spaces based on these foundations, the historical depth of old spaces cannot be artificially recreated through design. Therefore, wandering through historically rich spaces continues to captivate people's imaginations.

Z-Lab is a forward-thinking design team in Korea, led by Jung Hyun Park. They view architecture not just as "buildings" but as operable entities for comprehensive integration and coordination. The studio offers a wide range of design services, from preliminary planning, architectural design, interior design, styling, and experience design to brand design and visual design.

Lee Sisan is a designer and artist currently residing in Seoul. He explores materials such as stone, wood, leather, and metal, experimenting to reveal their intrinsic properties. Besides his work, he founded PRACTICE with an Architect in 2020, engaging in architectural design, interior design, and exhibition design.

OMA Space is an art design studio based in Seoul. The team consists of founder and director Jang Jiu, art director and partner Daniel Kapelian, and designer and partner Kyoungyoung Gil. Inspired by Zen spirituality, primitivism, and corresponding rituals, they adopt an eclectic approach to showcase the transformative power of art.

Rahee Yoon is a designer and artist based in Seoul, working with metal, textile, ceramics, and wood. She started her studio in 2017 and is known for her experimental works exploring the essence of different materials. She widely uses acrylic materials to create distinctive artworks and collaborates with renowned architectural firms like WGNB, LABOTORY, and Studio Unravel.

Honggu Park, born in 1966, is a renowned Korean woodworker. Over 38 years, he has accumulated extensive experience in traditional Korean and European furniture making. He has developed his unique technique called "Abstract Tanhwa," a wood-burning method that creates diverse abstract and figurative patterns.

Wacello is a unique design brand that creates high-end lifestyle products. They emphasize simplicity, refinement, visual aesthetics, and the balance of lines and proportions. Their focus on exploring the essence of materials results in distinctive furniture products for their clients.

Shilla Seoul is a luxury hotel named after the golden age of the Shilla dynasty. In 2013, it was renovated under the direction of renowned designer Peter Remedios, introducing the new concept of a "contemporary lifestyle destination." The modern design seamlessly blends with traditional Shilla dynasty patterns and styles, rejuvenating this luxury hotel.

BAR Studio renovated the guest rooms and suites of the Grand Hyatt Seoul, infusing them with a luxurious, residential feel. The renovation incorporated the early design concepts of renowned designer John Morford, blending old and new aesthetics to create a unique contemporary charm.

Park Hyatt Seoul balances design and luxury in an understated manner. Designed by the Japanese firm Super Potato, the hotel resembles a glass box, with almost every floor featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that offer stunning city views, making it a rare gem in Seoul.

Interested individuals can inquire by calling 008618516033254 or adding the official WhatsApp at 08618516033254. Additionally, you may send your requirements to the email address: mia@yinjispace.com.

For a group of 3 or more participants, each person will receive a discount of 500CNY.

If a group consists of 5 or more participants, each person will enjoy a discount of 800CNY.

Returning participants who have attended 2-5 trips will receive a discount of 500CNY, and starting from the 6th trip, the discount increases to over 1000CNY. Note that discounts offered by items 1 and 2 do not stack, but item 3 can be combined with either of them.

Hotel Notes:

The listed hotels in the itinerary are based on double occupancy, with room assignments arranged randomly according to the order of registration. If a participant experiences poor sleep quality, it is recommended to upgrade to a single room. The price difference for the upgraded room is to be borne by the participant.

Visa Notes:

The passport must have at least 6 months of validity remaining after the trip concludes and should have 2 blank visa pages (excluding observation pages). YINJISPACE only collects passports on behalf of participants. The approval of the visa application is at the discretion of the consulate. Any losses (including, but not limited to, self-booked flights or hotel reservations) incurred due to visa rejection are the responsibility of the visa applicant. Once the visa application is submitted, the visa fees are non-refundable, with a processing time of 6-8 weeks.

Insurance Notes:

The insurance provided for this trip is only applicable to participants holding passports issued by mainland China. Participants holding non-mainland China passports are required to purchase their own insurance (self-provided insurance). Any risks and losses incurred due to opting out of insurance coverage will be the responsibility of the participant.