INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

Hi! Sorry to keep you waiting—

The weather’s already getting pretty warm, but I still wanted to take a moment to share my experience from the SIT Workshop I attended over winter break.

The workshop ran from February 13th to 20th—just like in previous years, it lasted about a week, but the schedule was a bit different this time!

From the 13th to the 15th, we stayed at a seminar house in Atami, a coastal resort town in Japan. During those three days, we conducted field research with our teams while also enjoying the various facilities available at the seminar house—like the ping pong room and karaoke space.

Thanks to that relaxed environment, we were able to naturally grow closer as a team, and it really made the experience feel special.

Our team visited the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, where we got to appreciate traditional and contemporary Japanese artworks. I found myself constantly jotting down thoughts and insights during the fieldwork, thinking they'd definitely help later when interpreting our workshop theme.

I'll also include some photos that capture the warm, collaborative, and cozy atmosphere of the Atami seminar house!

(And no—we didn’t just play around the whole time!)
Honestly, I think those three days in Atami were the key to forming a real connection with our Japanese teammates.

And then, on February 16th, the day we had all been waiting for finally arrived—
our first full day at Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT)!

The theme of this year’s project was “The Boundary Between the Everyday and the Extraordinary.”
It was a familiar type of design project, but the fact that it was taking place in Tokyo,
with Japanese teammates, in a completely new environment, made it feel like a perfect reflection of the theme itself. It was an extraordinary experience hidden within the everyday flow of design work.

Of course, like any project, we hit some roadblocks.
For us, one of the biggest challenges was the language barrier—but every member of our team, both Korean and Japanese, gave it their all to bridge that gap and bring the theme to life.

We sketched wireframes together on the whiteboard, relied on translation tools,
and kept the conversation flowing as best we could—and before we knew it, the day was already over!

I’ve pulled my fair share of all-nighters back in Korea, but working late into the night in a completely unfamiliar place like Tokyo felt different.

Just like our theme, each day felt like a fluid blend of the ordinary and the extraordinary—a back-and-forth dance between comfort and challenge, routine and novelty. :)

On the afternoon of February 17th, our second day at Shibaura Institute of Technology,
we had the chance to experience a rich cultural exchange.

There was a yukata experience, followed by a talk from Professor Yang about Japanese universities and the unique job-hunting culture in Japan.

One thing that really stood out to me was how, unlike Korea, Japanese students typically begin job hunting in their third year, go through internships, and often secure full-time positions even before graduation. It was such a different system—and super eye-opening.

The highlight of the afternoon was definitely the special lecture by a KMU alumnus currently working at SONY Japan.
Hearing firsthand about their experience working abroad at a major company,
and getting to see their actual portfolio, sparked serious interest among many of us in overseas employment.

That kind of real, behind-the-scenes story is one of the biggest strengths of this workshop, I think.
If you're even remotely curious about working abroad or diving into the Japanese design industry,
I highly recommend the SIT Winter Workshop.
It’s not just a learning opportunity—it’s a glimpse into what your future could look like.

And finally, the project presentation day arrived!

Each team turned their final outcome into a panel and displayed it on the whiteboards, creating a sort of open exhibition where everyone could freely walk around and check out each other’s work.
After that, we moved on to the formal team presentations in front of the professors.

Since every team was made up of both Korean and Japanese students,
the presentations were given in two languages, depending on the speaker.
That experience alone was incredibly unique and memorable.

Personally, one of the most impressive moments for me was seeing Professors Nam Won-seok and Yeon Myeong-heum from our Department of Industrial Design give feedback in fluent Japanese.
It made me realize that what truly matters isn’t the language itself, but the clarity of your message and the sincerity of your delivery.

After all the presentations, we had a small awards ceremony to close the event.
Regardless of who received awards, it was clear that every team produced high-quality work, especially considering how short the workshop was.To everyone who participated: you all did an amazing job!
And to those thinking about joining next time—trust me, it’s worth it.