I went through Design education system from Korea before RISD. In the new environment, I found out things that I have taken for granted was not necessarily the case for outside my home.
My previous education was fairly Euro-centric, and people really didn’t discuss or even think much about it. I learned history on both school and my expectation that both schools would be similar happened to be wrong. Classes I had in here were more detailed and thought provoking. It influenced me to think more about Orientalism of Korea, especially about internalized Orientalism.
After I started studying abroad, ironically I started to think more about the culture I am part of, and started making works about them in a way I have not thought of. It was quite intense change of environment in a way that it was my first time studying abroad and I had to start using English almost 95% of day. Changing major was also quite different experience. Before, I was industrial major and I did not expect learning typography this level. After taking intense typography classes, I realized that I have not studied Korean typography before in both schools.
It was also the time when I started question and tried thinking outside Bauhaus rules of for form and ornament. Ornament was something that I was told to avoid constantly and I still have hard time making one with them, until this day. After I learned the relationship between Orientalism and the misuse of ornaments, it provoked me to think about Korean ornaments regarding to internalized Orientalism as well.
Due to pandemic and uncertainty I had to come back, for I was worried not being able to come back home. I am also uncertain how studying abroad or experiencing different cultures would change for lots of people. Despite the unexpected circumstance, I wish this could become overall thought provoking process.