Review of My Participation in the SDIF 2025!
Hello! This is Lia, supporter of the Seoul Design International Forum 2025!
On September 19, the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum (SDIF 2025) was held at the Multipurpose Hall in the main building of Seoul City Hall!
Event Overview
- Date & Time: Friday, September 19, 2025, 13:00–18:00
- Venue: 8F Multipurpose Hall, Seoul City Hall
- Theme: Attractive City of Seoul: Designing a Better Global Life
- Format: Hybrid (On-site & Online)
- Languages: Korean, English (Simultaneous Interpretation Provided)
Under the theme “Attractive City of Seoul: Designing a Better Global Life,” the forum explored the future of cities transformed through design! Shall we take a look at the vibrant atmosphere through card news-style highlights?
“The Design Manifesto for Citizen Aspirations” is a document that declares the design direction needed for Seoul’s future, grounded in the voices of its citizens. It represents both the promise to co-create this future together and the close connection between design and the future image of Seoul we aspire to. This year’s manifesto was given even deeper meaning as four citizen representatives took the stage to read it aloud themselves. And… I had the special opportunity to join as a supporter and youth representative to read it too!
Keynote Session: Designing Cities for People & Planet: From Vision to Impact
– Helle Søholt (CEO & Co-Founder of GEHL)
Ms. Helle Søholt emphasized the importance of urban design that addresses both sustainability and citizens’ lives in the era of the climate crisis. She highlighted that the essence lies in transforming spaces into places for people—like the Shanghai Waterfront, Sydney George Street, and Buenos Aires. Based on this perspective, she proposed that Seoul prepare for the future through nature-integrated urban planning, climate-responsive design, the connection of health and economy, and global collaboration.
Session 1-1: Designing Trust: How the iF Design Award Shapes Global Design Culture
– Uwe Cremering (CEO, iF International Forum Design GmbH)
Mr. Uwe Cremering introduced the iF Design Award as not merely a prize, but a global platform that drives trust and international cooperation. The award has shaped expectations across industry, policy, and civil society, strengthening cultural and ethical values. He also pointed out that although Seoul has world-class talent and infrastructure like DDP, it lacks a unified platform. He suggested that through strategic investment and collaboration, Seoul can grow into a global design hub.
Listening to his talk made me realize that design is not simply evaluated as an output—rather, it is a powerful force that connects cities, people, and the world. I deeply resonated with the idea that when Seoul’s infrastructure and talent are linked to such platforms, even greater possibilities can emerge.
Session 1-2: L’Oréal: Collaborative Design for Sustainability
– Sharon So (Director of Corporate Affairs, Engagement & Sustainability, L’Oréal Korea)
Ms. Sharon So introduced L’Oréal’s comprehensive sustainability strategy, L’Oréal for the Future, which spans climate, nature, resources, and communities. Through examples such as upcycling stores and benches made from empty bottles, “Scent Tree” artworks, the Create Your Beauty campaign in collaboration with artists with disabilities, and company-wide volunteer Citizen Day, she explained how corporate–city partnerships in public facility design can contribute to Seoul’s sustainable future.
Session 2-1: Design Connecting People, Cities, and the Future: Focusing on Seoul’s Design Policies
– In-kyu Choi (Director-General of Design Policy, Seoul Metropolitan Government)
He explained that Seoul has practiced people-centered design that citizens can truly feel—not just external aesthetics. At the same time, the city is advancing future-oriented design that boosts urban competitiveness and industrial innovation while responding to global challenges like climate change and digital transformation. Based on three main pillars, he shared concrete policy cases and presented a vision to elevate Seoul into a globally recognized Top 5 Design City.
Session 2-2: Design by Community: Advocating for Community Power in New York City Government
– Deana Yu (Assistant Director, Visual Design of Service Design Studio at New York City Mayor’s Office)
Ms. Deana Yu emphasized participatory design as the core of citizen-driven innovation. Through public service improvement cases for low-income residents, she introduced how design can restructure administrative communication and create more equitable and responsive urban systems. She also explained different levels of power-sharing within community-centered design processes and, based on New York City’s diverse project experiences, stressed the need for Seoul to adopt community-based design strategies as well.
Session 2-3: Design with 10%
– Byungsu Kim (CEO, Missionit Co., Ltd.)
Mr. Byungsu Kim presented the need to move beyond output-centered design toward process-centered, inclusive design. To reduce the experience gap between designers and users, he proposed involving the 10% at the sensory extremes—such as people with disabilities and the elderly—as co-creators. Through workshops and demonstrations held with actual users, they were able to create designs that everyone could empathize with. He emphasized that this marks the starting point for universal design that Seoul should pursue.
Panel Discussion
– Chair: Joo Yun Kim (Master Public Designer of Seoul)
During the comprehensive discussion, Chair Joo Yun Kim and the speakers covered a wide range of topics—including Seoul’s unique urban identity, sustainable design strategies in response to the climate crisis, design solutions for a super-aged society, and ways to strengthen Seoul’s global competitiveness. With those discussions, the event came to a successful close!
Participation Review
As a supporter and citizen representative at the 2025 Seoul Design International Forum, I had the opportunity to directly experience the future of design that Seoul envisions. In particular, standing on stage to read the Design Manifesto as a citizen representative was incredibly meaningful, as it symbolized a promise voiced directly by citizens.
The keynote emphasis on people-centered and sustainable design by Helle Søholt, the global collaboration presented across sessions, the inclusive design approaches, and the citizen participation examples all made me realize one core truth: Design is the power that transforms citizens’ lives.
Design is not the language of experts alone—it is a future strategy for the city that all citizens create together. I hope to continue participating actively as a citizen in these important spaces and to stay close to the positive changes design brings to Seoul.
For more information, visit the official channels!
Website : www.sdif.org
Instagram : www.instagram.com/sdiforum2025/
YouTube : www.youtube.com/@SDIF_2025
