Interview

• How would you define your style?

  I would say naturalistic, as I want my works to be as close to nature as possible, and contemporary, because I get inspiration from what I see around me. But my style doesn’t fit exactly in any category. I like the simplicity of Japanese ikebana as well as Western styles, with big, colourful and fancy arrangements.

• Is your training still in progress?

  Recently, I have been taking a gardening course at a garden centre on the outskirts of Seoul, as I’m very interested in growing my own flowers as well as arranging them. I’m fascinated by what a gardener has to do every month according to seasonal changes.

• Can you describe your creative process?

  My inspiration always come from everyday life: sometimes I have “aha moments” while driving in my car. Then I prepare the ingredients: raw materials like arrowroot vines, barks and mosses are my favourite. After a first simulation, I go through many revisions before I am satisfied with the result.

• Is it difficult to work with flowers when you live in a big city?

  It is challenging. Seoul is one of the most fashion-conscious and fast cities in the world, where trends change very quickly. Flower design is no exception: my customers are stylish people and I have to keep up. I’ll never stop studying and making efforts to create new things.