By Honorary Reporter Nicolle Cristine Silva Ferreira from Brazil
Photos = Nicolle Cristine Silva Ferreira 

Puuung, an illustrator and animator based in Korea who was born Park Da-mi, captures the small but touching moments of everyday life. 

The universal themes of her work have helped attract over six million followers on her social media over her 10-year career, with many of her fans in Brazil and the U.S. For the first time abroad, she is exhibiting her work at the Korean Cultural Center in Sao Paulo, where I interviewed her. 

The following are excerpts from my June 1 interview. 

Puuung and I pose for photos after my interview at the Korean Cultural Center in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

What inspired you to focus on representing love in everyday life?
I've loved drawing since I was little, which led me to attend art college. Initially, I wasn't that skilled so I worked hard, doing whatever the school asked. This eventually led to a creative block that made me dislike drawing. To overcome this, I started drawing one piece a day for myself of things I loved like cats and heartwarming stories. This marked the beginning of my series capturing love in everyday life.

How do you incorporate elements of Korean culture into your art?
Being born and raised in Korea, I naturally incorporate its culture into my work. I often depict couples on dates enjoying Korean food like bingsu (shaved ice dessert), tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) and eomuk (fishcake). The settings are real locations such as Jeonju Hanok Village, Myeong-dong and Deoksugung Palace. I believe that meaningful places enhance the depiction of love in showing how any place is special if one is with a loved one.

What piece of yours do you feel best represents love in daily life?

A piece from last year shows a couple in a cafe sipping coffee and sharing a gentle kiss. This illustration was animated to capture the aroma of coffee, sunlight and the fleeting thought of wanting the moment to last forever. These small daily moments form the essence of my work.

What challenges do you face in translating the concept of love into visual art?

Expressing love in visual art is challenging due to its complex and diverse emotions. Each person experiences and expresses love differently, making it hard to capture in a single image. I focus on small moments of daily life, as even small fragments of love can bring great happiness.

Puuung signs her book as a gift to yours truly.

What are the most memorable achievements of your artistic career?

One was surpassing a million followers on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, showing global appreciation of my work. This milestone also highlighted my animated works. Though initially less known, they gained attention with the rise of YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. 

What are your hopes for the next chapter of your journey?

I hope my work reaches more people to offer them warmth and comfort. This exhibition in Brazil is a dream come true, and I want to hold more in other cities and countries. I want to capture these places in my work and incorporate the stories of the people I meet. Connecting with more people and spreading the positive emotions in my work enrich my artistic journey.

The exhibition features a variety of the artist's illustrations.

*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.