By Honorary Reporter Fotini Chatzoudi from Greece

Photos: Sim Gun-woo

"One person's trash is another's treasure." 

Sim Gun-woo, a former visual arts major in college who goes by the pseudonym Fori Sim, has put this old saying into practice by using discarded electronics to make cute robots. For him, the goal is to promote sustainability and eco-friendly living while creating art.

The following are excerpts from a web interview with him on Feb. 9.

How did you start making robot figures from discarded electronics?
When I was a child, I never threw away products I liked and kept them in a drawer. I couldn't keep them forever, so I thought of retaining them in a more meaningful form. Moreover, I've always liked making things with my hands since I spent a lot of time working with computers. So from 2010, I started making my works.

Sim Gun-woo's work table is filled with discarded smartphone materials like cases and batteries.

How do you obtain your materials?
Early on, I mainly worked with the things I had, but now, people around me send a lot of materials. Some bring them to an exhibition hall while others collect waste products and later send them to my studio. To those who regularly send me materials, I sometimes give my works to show appreciation. Recently, I've conducted plogging, or collecting waste plastic from roads, to collect materials.

What kind of electronic devices are your creations made of?
I mainly use people-friendly products that have short lifespans and are thrown away quickly such as cell phones, audio items, cameras and plastic toys. They are used for several years but take centuries or more to decompose after being discarded. I disassemble all collected waste products for use in my works. I repaint old parts or sometimes preserve the rough surfaces, and I especially try to safely dispose of parts that could contain harmful ingredients.

Sim Gun-woo hopes to help save the environment through his eco-friendly creations.

What messages do your works have?
Many of my works seem bright and witty because I want to express the moment when humans reencounter waste in a positive way. But I also want to promote awareness of the vast amount of waste and plastic the world consumes and disposes of.

What are your plans?
While working with recycled materials, I realized that the world's environmental problems were far more serious than I thought. So I teamed up with Superbin, a startup that tackles environmental problems by collecting waste in a city and using it as materials, and took over its branding. I also plan campaigns to encourage many people to help resolve environmental problems in the hope that my work will have a positive impact on the world.

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.