Subjective Things (You don’t need to know)

Derrick Lin

Global

Design: KG Dongho Kang
Location: South Korea
Project Type: Produced
Product Launch Location: South Korea
Packaging Contents: Matchbox
Packaging Substrate / Materials: paper, wooden match, nonwoven fabric

Nostalgia for one’s childhood, One of the daily necessities, Chow-Yoon-Fat’s Matchstick.

Until the 1980s, briquette boilers were used as regular boilers. Matches were used to light the charcoal briquettes, which were used to ignite the briquettes faster. Also, blackouts were a common occurrence during that time. Some of the reasons why matches and candles became one of the necessities for daily life during that time period. Candles and matches would not be awkward for people who used to live during that time. Even for those who did not experience it first-hand, many people feel an analog vibe when they see candles and matches.

For us living in the 2020s, the concept of analog can be an inconvenience. I believe, it is inappropriate to light the candles on tables, the candles on the birthday cakes, or even the candles at the ceremonial rites with a gaslighter. Candles may be used more with more personal feelings attached like for religious purposes rather than to just simply brighten up a certain space. A match used only once by some necessity. It’s as if you’re taking the same picture like you’re taking it with a film camera and a digital camera… That’s the difference. The difference between a match and a lighter seems to be just that much.

As a person who still takes pictures with a film camera, I have always wanted to make my own matchbox. Therefore, the “Useful Matches” became the first product of the project “Subjective Things (you don’t need to know)”.

Also, just as the roles of the person on stage and the person behind the stage are different, , I think matches’ role is to help make a certain atmosphere’s mood a little better rather than being the main character of a certain atmosphere.

omgsogd omgsogd

Design
A match is one of the ‘triggers’ that reminds me of the word “old-time” in the modern era… Words like; acoustic guitar, old coffee shop(da-bang), typewriter, etc.

As a designer, I could have given various feelings to the product design of “subjective things”, but in order to make it a personal project and a brand, it needed to have some consistency(identity), deciding which of the various feelings to put on “subjective things”… I couldn’t help but worry, a pleasant stress.

I had no choice but to choose the most like KG (kangdonghoGraphy) design. Therefore, by adding cursive writing to the modern and classic font, it made the heavy mood a little lighter, and with the most basic colors, black and white, this subjective design was introduced.

Overview
Project “Daily Life Of The Man · Subjective Things (You don’t need to know)” shows very subjective product and personal light artwork of KG who is working in the photography and film scene as various positions with a base on graphic design.

Subjective Things (You don’t need to know)
While it’s titles may be uncomfortable to some viewers, it’s also the main reason for showing these things.

KG has been working on various projects for a long time. The thirst felt while expressing something in commercial design, photography, and video. Whenever anyone does something, he says, “Why should that be?” There will be times when you ask the question. It is a personal project about those thirsts. Of course, a personal project does not mean that it is a project that only relieves personal stress. While the title can be rather cynical for the project, the personality of the project is quite warm.