Session 6: Reimagining the Present through the Enduring Lens of Tradition

In his keynote lecture “Reimagining the Present through the Enduring Lens of Tradition”, acclaimed Korean designer Teo Yang invited us into his world—where design becomes a dialogue between memory and modernity.

After honing his craft in Europe and the U.S., Teo returned to Seoul and founded Teo Yang Studio in the historic neighborhood of Bukchon, a place deeply rooted in Korean heritage. From the Gyeongju National Museum to the National Hangeul Museum and Kukje Gallery, his work has become known for its subtle yet powerful blend of contemporary aesthetics and cultural storytelling.

For Teo, design is not just visual—it is experiential, emotional, and deeply cultural. Through materiality, light, and space, he brings tradition into the present, not as something to preserve behind glass, but as something to live with and evolve.

This keynote wasn’t just about design—it was about identity, memory, and the cultural narratives that shape our future.