Ok Kim, Illustrator, Seoul, S. Korea

    Ok Kim's portrait - photo by-Kyung-Ran-Park

Ok Kim: "The work life allowed me to rethink about my identity and values. I quit working and  decided to draw paintings"

 타락천사  Fallen Angel  - mixed media - 59.4 x 89.1 cm/ Ok Kim 2010

 타락천사  Fallen Angel  - mixed media - 59.4 x 89.1 cm/ Ok Kim 2010

BPP: Identity: Who are you?  And who you really are?

Ok Kim: My name is ‘Ok Kim’ in Korean alphabet (Hangeul) it is written as 김옥.

Family name is Kim김, and given name is Ok옥.

I'm a freelance illustrator and live in Seoul, Korea.

My purpose in life is 'Be the real me and Just enjoy my life without regret.'  

SCI-FI "Boundary" - mixed media - 36.5x29 cm - KimOk 2010

SCI - FI  SANGARADO - 上加羅都' - Crossroads,SF Webzine,  September 2011 - written by Ko Jang-Won

illustrated by KimOk

BPP: If you could say something important to others who were listening, what would you tell them?

Ok Kim: After you find a goal for your life, I’d like to say, “Do not hesitate and just go!”

Being honest and truthful to yourself is also very important. Since life is limited, we have to

find what’s real in our life. This is more important than anything else.

SCI-F I "Sangarad" mixed media - 21.9x29.7 cm - KimOk2011

 'Peeping Tom" - mixed media - 60x60 cm - KimOk 2009

BPP:  What is your true dream, the one that keeps you up at night and if one day it were to come true you would feel peace and calmness in your heart?

Ok Kim: My dream is to be a good, happy illustrator. I must be happy if my dream comes true all of a sudden. But I will get to have a new dream soon. Our own dreams are not simple, so it is precious and meaningful.

"My boy Collection" -  pencil on paper - 21,9 x29,7 cm - Ok Kim  2010

'collection' - llustrator KimOk's mini exhibition poster for Tokyo Design Festa 2010

"Oh! My boy!" - pencil on paper - 21.9x29.7 cm - KimOk 2010

BPP: How is life currently for the people in your country and what would you wish for them and for the planet at large?

Ok Kim: Nowadays, things are very competitive in Korea. After the Korean War, we have repeated rapid growths. And we overcame  the IMF crisis wisely.

 We have seen fast development which can never be compared with anything in our past. 

 But our society is seriously competitive, so people have no composure.

 Due to the economic or welfare issues, we are anxious about the uncertain future.

 Personally, I think we have to reconsider the identity and value of Korea and as a Korean.

 I hope each individual can have the true meaning of life with which they can take a rest. 

Ok Kim at her atelier - photo by Jae-Hwan Jung

BPP: If you had a chance to be a child again would you choose the same life?

Ok Kim: I will get back to this job because I love it and find satisfaction in creative activities.

 But in relationship, I think I will be more ordinary and genial to people.

 I was not a sociable teenager, so I was poor at relationship.

 And even now I prefer to think alone than to work as a member of a group.

 If I can go back to childhood, I want to grow up to be a more warm-hearted adult.

"Sprig,a love potion" -  pencil on paper - 29.7x42 cm - KimOk 2010

"The rooster" mixed media - 26x35 cm -  KimOk 2012

BPP:  What was the exact moment that you realized what you wanted to do with your life?  How did you feel at this very moment?

Ok Kim: After graduating university, I worked in a large company as a secretary.

 But the work for a day was vague to me.

 It was a relatively stable life, but I was full of complaints. And I came to think about the 

 existence of myself. I hadn’t really thought about my future that seriously before that.

 I just simply thought that it would be happy if I could live like others.

 The work life allowed me to rethink about my identity and values. I quit working and  

 decided to draw paintings.

'KimOk card design' - collaboration with 7321Design - mixed media - (pencil,watercolor,photoshop) 

illustrated by KimOk2011

BPP: Would you like to tell us something we didn’t ask until now?

Ok Kim: I hope all people can live their lives as what is written in a good book.

 "TAEYANG (SOL of BIGBANG)" - illustrated by KimOk - pencil,watercolor on paper - 21.9x29.7 cm

for SSUPY Magazine Vol.1.SEP.2010

The cat's ninth life - 42x59.4 cm mixed media, KimOk 2010 - inspired by 'Roadkill'

Ok Kim's Drawing for BPProject

education:


Bachelor's degree in humanities
mager : History,Sung-Shin Woman's University
Master's degree in department of communication design
mager : Illustration,Sang-Myung University graduate school of design 

awards & select:

2008 DAZED & CONFUSED KOREA:"Wanted" New Artist July 2008.Vol.FEVER

2007 ADIDAS KOREA "Me,Myself & ADIDAS Originals event Sleek Styling"Winning piece of work

2003 Cosmopolitan Korea magazine : the Cosmopolitan Exclusive Illustrator

exhibition & project:

2012 KIKIMYOMYO 'Cat Saying' Group Exhibition Vol.3 (SEJONG CENTER Gwanghwarang 3.14~3.20)

2012 KIKIMYOMYO 'Cat Saying' Group Exhibition Vol.3 (Gallery AQUA 1.11~1.30)

2011 KIKIMYOMYO 'Cat Saying' Group Exhibition Vol.3 (Gallery Santorini Seoul 11.4~11.13)

2011 'ILLUST FESTIVAL2011' exhibition & market  (Nami Island 10.21~22)

2011 Unlimited Edition 3rd Independent Book&Music market(Platoon Kunsthalle 6.17~6.18)

2011'Mysterious night sight with Cats' group illustration exhibition( N-Seoul Tower glass observation deck 6.11~7.3)

2011 About books:Independent book market(KT&G SSMadang Gallery2 5.4~6.26)

2011 'KIKIMYOMYO',mysterious & Adorable Cats Group Exhibition Vol.2(SEJONG CENTER Gwanghwarang 2011.3.16~3.22)

2011 'Art museum inside fantastic Zoo'ILLBOOK project exhibition 3rd 0ONE(Gallery IANG 2010.12.29~2011.1.4)

2010 Daegu Fashion Fair & Collection 2010 Plan Exhibition with NFM Promotion (EXCO 11.4~11.6)

2010 Go to the Hongdae!2010! Art Market & exhibition (Seoul Art Space Seogyo & Hongdae Parking Lot ST.10.6~10.10) 

2010 'Amusement Book Project'Independent & Alternative Publication Exhibition (KT&G Sangsangmadang Gallery2 9.3~10.3)

2010 'KIKIMYOMYO'.mysterious & Adorable Cats Group Exhibition Vol.1.(Gallery HAROOCATS 9.1~9.30)

2010 Picture book Aritist Market Exhibition (KT&G Sangsangmadand Gallery2 7.31~8.15)

2010 'BIG OUIP small ouip'Exhibition collaboration with DELITOYS(Lab & Gallery DELITOYS 6.18~6.30)

2010 Tokyo Design Festa(Tokyo Big Sight,JAPAN 5.15~16)

2010 'Men-eater butterfly & Butterfly hunter living together'Kimok 1st solo Exhibition (Mapo Design Cluster 4.2~4.10)

2009 Special Exhibition Selected by DAZED & CONFUSED KOREA Magazine,Group Exhibition(CLUB REHAP 9.10~9.30)

2009 SamCeong Gallery 2009 Plan Exhibition 'ILLUSTRATION'part2.'Sensibility'Group Exhibition (SamCeong Gallery 6.18~6.28)

Photos by Jae-Hwan Jung & Kyung-Ran-Park. All rights reserved.




If you want to learn more about Ok Kim, visit:
http://kimokillust.blog.me
http://blog.naver.com/pinkholic75