13th Seoul Record Fair

Seoul Record Fair is a pioneering local event that brings record labels, musicians, and fans together. As the art director for the event, I was responsible for shaping its visual language and graphics over the past ten years.

The vinyl record market remains strong in the United States, with growing demand even as overall music sales decline. Inspired by this trend, three underground record labels in Korea joined forces to meaningful impact the domestic music market. The primary design challenge was attracting new audiences and satisfying loyal fans. The design needed to retain the nostalgic appeal of vinyl records while incorporating contemporary elements to engage younger listeners. I opted for a minimalist approach to create a cohesive visual identity that brought together multiple vendors. The use of a solid black color, reminiscent of vinyl records, served as the primary graphic motif. This choice not only conveyed the essence of the event but also helped reduce production costs by utilizing a single ink color for printing.

The venue for the 13th Seoul Record Fair is the Oil Tank Culture Park. Originally an oil storage site from the industrialization era of the 1970s, this location was completely off-limits to the public until it was transformed through urban regeneration in 2017. The five tanks that once held oil have now been repurposed into versatile spaces for markets, exhibitions, performances, workshops, and other cultural events. Drawing inspiration from the site's history as an oil storage facility, the shapes in the poster are designed to resemble an unearthed oil field suddenly bursting open, symbolizing the visitor's joy in discovering a long-sought vinyl record or an unfamiliar yet great piece of music.

The poster and design for the Seoul Record Fair received recognition and accolades in prestigious competitions. It was selected in the Graphic Design Biennale of Chaumont 2023: 30th International Posters Competition and the GDFS: International Poster Competition 2024 and 2018. Additionally, it won the 2015 CORE77 Design Awards.