By Honorary Reporter Araceli Gonzalez from Argentina

Photos = Natalia Zych

Natalia Zych is a Polish graphic designer whose love for Korea and its language has influenced her artistic creations.

Korean culture has millions of followers around the world and influenced the work of artists and professionals. 

Hwarang Editorial in Argentina set up to translate Korean literature into Spanish. As someone interested in Korean culture, I became a fan of the company from 2020 and got to know Zych, the subject of this interview. She collaborated with Hwarang to make postcards for the company to  give as complimentary gifts to subscribers.

Natalia Zych, 23, who graduated with a bachelor's in graphic arts and design in Poland in summer last year, creates art inspired by Hangeul. 

The following are excerpts from an interview with Zych conducted from May 20-25 mostly by email.

Natalia Zych's visual style features a delicate presentation of the female figure accompanied by words in Hangeul.

What led you to study Korean?

I've been attracted to Korean culture since I was young. I fell in love with the sound of the language and was proud of myself as my Korean improved. One day, I thought of connecting Hangeul with illustrations. I had tons of ideas about what to draw and wanted to explore new vocabulary, and this also spurred me to use my imagination a lot.

Many of your works feature Hangeul. How did this process come out?
When I see a word, my head gets filled with images immediately. I then develop details as soon as I start drawing. I create a mind map when expressing a complex concept or plan the entire project. Whatever a specific concept reminds me of, I pick the most attractive idea and use metaphors and symbolism in the drawing. The atmosphere and dynamics of the drawing are also crucial. 

"Hangeul Artbook," her graduation project, is what the designer calls "a bridge between my two passions: illustration and study of foreign languages." 

Your graduation project is an artbook featuring works inspired by Hangeul. How did you get this idea?
This idea evolved from my Instagram page on which I post illustrations inspired by words in Hangeul. Many people liked my drawings, so I decided to make the artbook. As for the book's format, I was inspired by a basic textbook that Korean children use in school when they first start learning the alphabet. 

I hope my graphic creations using the Korean alphabet can interest visual learners and lovers of design and books. The color palette was influenced by traditional Korean architecture and the loose composition of the letters was inspired by traditional calligraphy but with a contemporary format. 

The designer's project has inspired her to make Hangeul a permanent fixture in her artistic creations.

Any concluding message you want to share with Korea.net readers?
My Hangeul project has helped Korean letters become part of my creations. I highly encourage people to try their creative ideas, even if just for fun. You can always develop something unique, and who knows what the result could be. Sharing my project online has also boosted my confidence, introduced me to wonderful people and led to amazing collaborations that have changed my life. 

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.