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Pass Train Wish Gift Package by Jiwon Jung |
Home > Winners > Design #167598 >Interview |
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FS: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
JJ: Pass Train is a gift package design inspired by Korea’s cultural tradition of supporting loved ones before pivotal moments such as important exams or interviews. It incorporates the symbolic meaning of glutinous rice cakes—often gifted with the phrase “stick to your goal”—and the visual metaphor of a train heading toward a destination, turning the recipient into a passenger embarking on a hopeful journey.
FS: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
JJ: The core focus was to translate emotional support into a tactile experience. Rather than simply wrapping a product, I designed a moment—a gift that becomes a journey of encouragement. The goal was to make the recipient feel understood, supported, and empowered through Korea’s gift-giving culture and an intuitive, structural storytelling format.
FS: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
JJ: Although I don’t have a current collaboration plan, I intend to further develop the concept by integrating transport-inspired structures and positive messaging. My vision is to craft packaging that delivers emotional support beyond materiality—offering designs that act as messengers of goodwill and shared humanity.
FS: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
JJ: The project spanned about 4–5 weeks. I first conducted research into cultural motifs and emotional behaviors around gift-giving. The following weeks were dedicated to developing the structural system, exploring color psychology, prototyping, and validating the concept with use-case simulations.
FS: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
JJ: It was a self-initiated project inspired by personal experience. I grew up receiving and giving these traditional gifts and have personally gifted glutinous rice cakes to someone I deeply cared about before a major life event. I wanted to reinterpret that moment of warmth using a modern structural and visual language.
FS: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
JJ: The design is not in commercial production, nor is it being reviewed for commercialization at the moment. However, I plan to continue creating new packaging projects with similar emotional narratives and visual storytelling, as part of my creative development.
FS: What made you design this particular type of work?
JJ: I was particularly drawn to the symbolic nature of trains—movement, journey, and direction—which naturally parallels the emotional passage through challenges like exams or interviews. Trains embody momentum and hope, and I saw them as the perfect vehicle to embody a narrative of encouragement.
FS: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
JJ: I took reference from vintage Korean train tickets, traditional good-luck gifts, and signage systems found in local railway stations. The visual language and structural form of the train, however, were developed independently based on cultural intuition and symbolic analysis.
FS: Who is the target customer for his design?
JJ: Though rooted in Korean culture, the design targets anyone globally who wishes to convey support and encouragement to someone facing a challenge. From parents and teachers to friends and colleagues, Pass Train offers a symbolic and emotionally resonant way to say, “I believe in you.”
FS: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
JJ: Pass Train goes beyond surface visuals. It builds a structural narrative: the locomotive main box, passenger-car sub-packages, and a symbolic ticket card together form a journey. The color-coded sets—Passion, Cheer, Full Score, Jackpot—are connected to emotional cues, allowing visuals and sentiment to work in harmony.
FS: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
JJ: “Pass Train” carries a dual meaning—referring to a train passing by and the act of passing an exam or challenge. Like boarding a train to your goal, the name is symbolic and globally intuitive. It transforms the packaging into an emotional vehicle that resonates with both intent and direction.
FS: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
JJ: I used Adobe Illustrator as my primary tool. It allowed me to precisely draft folding layouts, structural blueprints, and color variations. Its simulation and precision tools were critical in bridging aesthetic form with realistic functionality, especially in prototyping.
FS: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
JJ: The modular train-based structure is its most unique feature. The main locomotive box connects with sub-packages shaped like passenger cars. Each module can stand alone or work as part of a cohesive train, and the detachable handle enhances portability, making the unboxing feel like boarding a journey.
FS: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
JJ: I consulted with a graduate professor for feedback on structure and feasibility. Additionally, I conducted a small-scale survey to gather input on naming and direction, using those responses to align the design with real user needs and expectations.
FS: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
JJ: Though it appears tactile and handcrafted, the design relied heavily on digital prototyping. I used simulation tools to ensure balance, structure, and harmony in layout and color. The digital process ensured that the final product would look emotionally rich while being practically manufacturable.
FS: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
JJ: Yes. I researched Korea’s cultural symbolism around gifting, the semantics of train travel, and color psychology. I also observed behaviors around seasonal gift-giving to define user needs, ensuring that the final design would align with emotional and cultural expectations.
FS: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
JJ: Balancing visual storytelling with structural logic was a challenge. I had to ensure the train-like composition was stable in form and meaningful in sequence. Adjusting proportions and fine-tuning the unboxing flow required multiple rounds of testing and refine
FS: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
JJ: Pass Train tells a story of shared emotion using form, color, and narrative. I felt it could speak across cultures. A’ Design Award’s respect for storytelling, structural creativity, and cultural identity made it the perfect platform to share this project.
FS: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
JJ: I developed the ability to visualize emotions and messages through form. Learning how to deliver meaning through design without relying on text taught me the power of shape, tactility, and symbolism. I also deepened my understanding of intuitive design that is both empathetic and bold.
FS: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
JJ: Pass Train is more than a package—it’s a symbolic gesture of belief. In moments when words fall short, the form becomes a language of support. My hope is that it becomes a meaningful object for moments of encouragement, celebrating quiet rituals and sincere emotion across generations and borders.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A' Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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