I began making ceramic boxes as soon as I learned the slab hand-building technique. Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by anything shaped like a box, regardless of the material. At one point, I even collected boxes from around the world. Naturally, when I started working with clay, I gravitated toward creating them myself.

In the early days, I made simple square boxes with my signature puzzle-cut lids, finishing them with raku firing, letting fire and smoke work their magic. However, due to my current limited access to raku, my focus has shifted toward refining each piece’s form and surface decoration. I now incorporate multiple techniques, including inlay, sgraffito with freehand carving on painted terra sigillata, and enhanced hand-painted glaze with custom-designed decals.

At the core of my work is an exploration of the relationship between East and West. I weave together fragments of history and culture—old Korean motifs, intricate patterns from palace walls in Seoul, and decorative trims from Buddhist temple roof tiles—juxtaposed with the clean lines and minimalist aesthetics of Western design. My recent work further develops this dialogue through the integration of Hangul, the Korean script, selecting words that are not only meaningful but also visually elegant and melodious. These characters become part of the design, adding layers of cultural depth and storytelling to each piece.