SPEXTRUM

A CONVERSATION WITH SOOKYOUNG KIM RECOUNTS SPEXTRUM’S GROWTH JOURNEY THROUGH EXPERIENCES AND EMOTIONAL VALUES, FROM A PRODUCT STUDIO IN SEOUL TO A GLOBAL MULTI-DISCIPLINARY BRAND

TEXT: KITA THAPANAPHANNITIKUL
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPEXTRUM EXCEPT AS NOTED

(For Thai, press  here)

On the day we met Sookyoung Kim, COO of SPEXTRUM, at the art4d office, she brought along several pieces that immediately caught our eye. Among them was a tissue box designed to stand vertically, featuring bold graphics that cleverly integrated the tissue shape into a key element of the design. There was also a flower vase shaped like a desk calendar, allowing the user to flip through pages to change the backdrop of their bouquet at will. Though different in concept, both products share a singular idea: they transform the most mundane household items into objects of fascination—balancing the line between art and functional design. Looking at these designs, I couldn’t help but want one for myself.

SPEXTRUM is a Seoul-based multi-disciplinary design agency that began with product design before expanding its reach into visual design, spatial design, Character IPs, content creation, and brand strategy. Their products have gained significant traction across the globe, from Europe and North America to their home market in Korea. Up to today, their work has been exhibited and sold in numerous shops such as MoMA, the Centre Pompidou, the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and many leading design boutiques. This global success comes as no surprise; their designs are simple, ingenious, and easily integrated into daily life for everyone.

art4d sat down with Sookyoung Kim to trace the brand’s journey from a product-focused studio to a multi-disciplinary force, all driven by the core belief, ‘SPEXTRUM makes A Special Day.’ which is a mission dedicated to delivering special experiences and emotional value to everyone, regardless of the medium.

art4d: Could you take us back to the beginning of SPEXTRUM? What have been the major milestones since then? And would it be accurate to define SPEXTRUM as a multi-disciplinary design agency, or do you see yourselves differently?

Sookyoung Kim:  Actually, SPEXTRUM started out primarily as a product design agency. But over time, we discovered that what we value most is the ‘experience’ and ‘emotional value’—whether through an artistic or a creative approach. This led us to expand our scope from just product design into a multifaceted lifestyle brand. We also evolved into a multi-disciplinary design agency covering everything from Visual Design and Product Design to Character IP and Spatial Design.

SPEXTRUM is structured into two main pillars: an in-house brand that plans, develops, and distributes its own products, and a creative agency that collaborates with various companies to co-create brand strategies, designs, and content. By drawing on the market experience and sensibilities we’ve gained from directly operating our own brands, we are able to partner with companies as a practical and realistic design collaborator.

Essentially, SPEXTRUM is a brand dedicated to enriching people’s daily lives with inspiration and emotional value in diverse ways. That’s why we do a lot of things! (laughs).

art4d: What’s the original from the name of ‘SPEXTRUM’

SK: The name ‘SPEXTRUM’ itself holds a profound meaning. It is a fusion of two words: ‘Spectrum’ and ‘Experience.’ The ‘Spectrum’ represents our desire to present design in a vast array of approaches—much like the many shades of light, while we place immense value on the ‘Experience’ of our users and customers.

Furthermore, the ‘X’ in our name symbolizes our commitment to diverge. It represents our readiness to explore the vast diversity within the world of design, moving ceaselessly in every direction.

art4d: Your philosophy states that ‘SPEXTRUM makes A Special Day.’ Could you elaborate on what this means?

SK: We believe that every day of our lives holds a certain meaning. This led to our vision of creating designs that evoke impressions and craft experiences, turning an ordinary day into a special one. Usually, we give stories to the things we’ve overlooked in our routines to enrich customers’ everyday lives by adding creative accents to various aspects of life and infusing artistic value throughout their entire lifestyle; a concept we call ‘ACCENT ON LIFE.’

A perfect example is the ‘Tissue Up’ project. It originated from reimagining a common household object like a tissue box. By viewing it through a new lens, we transformed it into a striking form that breathes life and extraordinary value into an everyday essential.

art4d: What does your typical design process look like?

SK: SPEXTRUM follows a flow of questioning, discovery, strategy, connection, and design. In questioning and discovery, we identify why certain behaviors emerge and what value we must uncover within them through user research and market trend analysis. These discovered values are then reinterpreted uniquely to derive strategy and concept. Then, the visual language connection and design work begin.

Basically, our focus is not only on the product itself but also on the overall strategy. At the heart of everything we do is storytelling; it is practically our top priority. We invest about 50% of our time in the planning phase across all processes.

art4d: SPEXTRUM has a remarkable track record of collaborating with both local and global brands (e.g. – LG, Hansol, IG, FB, Coca-Cola, etc.) How do you approach these collaborations to ensure that SPEXTRUM’s identity remains intact while meeting the brand’s specific needs?

SK: Before discussing our collaborations, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all the brands that have chosen to work with us; we truly appreciate every opportunity. Honestly, maintaining SPEXTRUM’s unique identity while creating designs that align with another company’s brand is no easy task. We constantly deliberate on how to fully preserve the client’s brand philosophy while delivering results through SPEXTRUM’s reinterpretation in every project.

We always conduct preliminary interviews with brand stakeholders to ensure that SPEXTRUM’s distinct character doesn’t become too dominant. Once we identify the essence, we intuitively apply SPEXTRUM’s unique approach. Ultimately, companies choose to work with us because they are drawn to our distinctive reinterpretation and the very design philosophy we embody.

art4d: If you want to describe SPEXTRUM in a single word, what is that word?

SK: Can it be two? (laugh). Certainly, its creativity and everyday life

art4d: We’ve seen that you’ve expanded into various sub-brands such as Zoopiter, Pause & Break, and Three Four. What was the strategy behind creating these brands, and how do their identities and target audiences differ from the main SPEXTRUM?

SK: It all began with the realization that the messages we want to convey are diverse. This led to the birth of our sub-brands, each with its own unique identity. That’s why, though we started as a studio designing products, we have evolved into a brand that designs emotions and experiences across diverse lifestyles.

SPEXTRUM OBJET: Starting with our main brand, which is a lifestyle brand that adds a touch of something special to everyday life through objects, as we talk before

Threefour: This is a story-based character IP that focuses on the bonds between people. It is crafted through designs that foster a deeper emotional connection than objects alone. Encapsulated in warmth, connection, and comfort, the brand focuses on the formative stages of human bonds and caters to a generation seeking emotional resonance within their relationships.

Pause & Break: Here, we shift our focus to students and professionals who often carry the weight of pressure and responsibility. Instead of chasing fleeting trends or social expectations, we encourage moments to stop, breathe, and practice self-care within the routine of daily life.

Zoopiter:  In contrast, Zoopiter is our art-object brand. It carries a lighter, more playful energy, serving to expand SPEXTRUM’s experimental spirit and creative flexibility.

Ultimately, while each sub-brand has distinct targets and expressions, they all share SPEXTRUM’s core philosophy: creating experiences that make everyday life warmer and more vibrant.

art4d: How many people are currently in the SPEXTRUM team? Could you tell us about your company structure? What defines the organizational culture at SPEXTRUM

SK: SPEXTRUM consists of 8 designers, 4 members of the commercial team handling marketing and operations, 3 members of the production team managing SPEXTRUM products, and 2 members handling management duties. Specifically in the design team, we’re also divided into product development, visual design, and IP character content.

While our team consists of individuals with distinct personalities, everyone is a true professional. The true advantage of having such a diverse group is felt during our brainstorming sessions; the collision of different perspectives always sparks unexpected ideas, and the process is incredibly fun though.

art4d: What’s your secret behind all that creativity?

SK: Particularly, I need to mention our CEO, Tsunho Wang, because I actually asked him this exact same question before (laughs). He then revealed his extremely remarkable daily routine. From a very young age, every day, he sits down with his notebook and forces himself to write down 50 potential ideas. Unless he finishes this task, he won’t allow himself to go to bed.

People say creativity is talent, I think it is partly. One great idea definitely came from obsession and consistency.

art4d:  Was the ‘Tissue-Up,’ which I personally consider a huge success—born from that pile of ideas?

SK: Believe it or not, it actually started as a failed product (laughs). When we first launched it in 2014 with just two color options, it didn’t get much attention. In 2018, we brought it to the NY NOW exhibition in New York, and the ‘Tissue Up Girl’ was actually laughed at—some people even called the idea silly. By that winter, we were planning to discontinue production.

However, when I showed it to my parents and friends at home, everyone insisted it was a great product. Their support gave me the courage to propose adding three more colors to the original two. At first, the CEO dismissed the idea as nonsense, yet he still believed in its potential. So, we took a risk and moved forward with additional production in 2019, featuring five different IP designs.

Apparently, that decision proved correct. From then on, SPEXTRUM began to gain recognition, and today it’s recognized as a new genre within tissue box.

art4d: Of all the projects you’ve launched over the years, is there one you are most proud of?

SK: Well, when I asked our CEO, Tsunho Wang, he pointed to the ‘Leaf Tie,’ which he created in 2009. Electronics always come with power cords, and while the devices themselves are meticulously designed, the cords are often treated as an awkward afterthought. However, he saw them differently. To him, a power cord plugged into the wall felt like a root sustaining the device’s life, and tangled strands of cables resembled tree trunks. He wondered, ‘Wouldn’t it be wonderful if sprouts grew from those trunks?’ And that was the spark for this product.

Due to the design that is so simple yet ingenious, it has remained a bestseller of all time for SPEXTRUM, both in retail and online, for nearly 18 years. Even long-time buyers continue to restock it. You could say the Leaf Tie is our foundation that truly allowed SPEXTRUM to go worldwide.

art4d: Your products are displayed and sold in retail spaces and through distributors worldwide. How do each market’s demands and consumer behaviors differ across different regions (e.g, Korea vs. Europe or North America)?

SK: SPEXTRUM focuses on how a product makes you ‘feel,’ not just what it does. While consumers in each region may have different styles, they still share the same core value: the emotional.

The Korean market is characterized by its rapid response to trends and a strong curiosity for fresh, buzzworthy visuals. In contrast, the European market prioritizes a brand’s philosophy and sustainability, choosing products as long-term lifestyle staples rather than following fleeting trends. The North American market represents a blend of both, reacting quickly to humor and originality while deeply valuing a brand’s storytelling.

Regardless of these regional differences, the common thread is a desire for the positive changes an object offers. We will continue our global expansion by respecting these cultural contexts while staying true to our core mission of adding moments of something special to everyday life.

art4d: Could you share your short-term and long-term goals? Where do you see SPEXTRUM heading in the next 5 to 10 years?

SK: In the short term, our goal is to strengthen and perfect our existing product lines and IP brands. We want to ensure everything is stable and refined first, rather than rushing to add more products, so we can truly concentrate our efforts.

Looking further ahead, our long-term vision is to expand our reach by offering designs that enrich the emotional and experiential aspects of daily life. Whether through objects, character IPs, spatial design, or digital content, we want to touch as many lives as possible. We also look forward to collaborating with global creative partners who share our belief in crafting human experiences through design.

But most importantly, SPEXTRUM will continue its journey of discovering ways to make every day feel special. Instead of merely providing definitive answers, we remain committed to exploring the vast diversity of the design world!

spextrum.net