TheFWA - Jongmin Kim

The hardest part is communicating with my co-workers. I’ve studied English for 2 years in earnest, and it is still very difficult to communicate. But my team always helps me do my job well. - I love them :)

Please give us a brief bio of yourself.

I am an interactive developer & designer, currently working at Firstborn Multimedia in New York.

I always try to “pursue a minus design rather than plus designs” and keeps in mind that “form follows function.”
My style is minimal and clean, using the golden ratio and interesting typography.

What do you do for inspiration?

I try to get a lot of different experiences.

Going to museum, travel, reading books, watching movies, and taking pictures... I believe doing all of these things inspire me.

Please list 3 of your favourite sites.

http://tha.jp/
http://www.hoogerbrugge.com/
http://firstborn.com/

How many hours do you work each week?

Usually I work about 45 hours a week working at Firstborn, but usually I spend more time on my personal projects.

For FFF (http://fff.cmiscm.com/), I spent the holiday working on it, it was one of my favorite weekends, but my wife didn’t enjoy it too much. :)

How do you relax or unwind?

Sleeping or Meditation. Meditation allows me to keep tranquility and helps me concentrate on my job by dismissing worldly thought. And sleeping is best way to relieve stress to me.

If you weren't working on the internet what would you be doing?

Probably a craftsman. I've always enjoyed making something with my hands.
When I was a child, there were so many tools on my desk, such as paint, drill, knife. Now, I create something using computers, so my desk is clean.
But if I weren't working on the internet, my desk might be back to that time.

What's your favourite part of your job? What's the hardest part of your job? What do you do when you get stuck?

My favorite part is I have the freedom to create something new every project. I love my job because i have the opportunity to be creative. The hardest part is communicating with my co-workers. I’ve studied English for 2 years in earnest, and it is still very difficult to communicate. But my team always helps me do my job well. - I love them :)

What software could you not live without?

PhpStorm, FDT, Xcode, Photoshop

Who do you rate as being the top 3 design companies?

Apple by Jonathan Paul Ive.
Braun by Dieter Rams.
Plus minus zero by Naoto Fukasawa.

Has winning FWA awards helped you in any way?

Yes definitely. FWA is well respected award and It's a big honor for me.

What did your very first site look like? Is it still online?

Unfortunately not. I lost the data for my first work while I was in Korea army. It was the homepage of famous PC game named Final Fantasy 8.

When I was 20 years old, I got a my first personal computer and the game was my first PC game. After I finished the game, I wanted to share all the information about the game with others, then I made my first homepage named CM's FF8.
It was a fancy website, because I used various background images, gradations and colors.

Have you written any books, if not do you plan to?

Every two months, I write columns for a Korean web magazine, and I'm writing a book for my DESK project. (http://desk.cmiscm.com/) The DESK book just started, so I can't tell you when the book will be published, but I hope it will be published this year. Also I have a plan to write a book about interaction development.

Of all the websites you/your company have produced, which one are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of my personal portfolio website.. (http://cmiscm.com)
because I made the site in my own design style. I wanted to create a design and develop it the way I wanted to without being interfered.

What was the toughest thing you ever did with Flash? How long did you spend on it? Is it still online?

Samsung DNSe 3.0 website. (http://cmiscm.com/data/portfolio/2008/dnse/)
Actually we didn't have any technical issues, but the timeline was too short.
I worked about 2 weeks for the development. It was very hard, but after launch we were very proud of the site.

Do you think Flash is here to stay?

Yes. But I think, the technology (whether Flash or not) is not important.
Technology is always change so fast. To subordinate at a programing language is little dangerous. The important thing is Design and Interaction. If you are an interactive developer, you should improve your sense of design and interaction, instead of learning a programing language.

How have you learned so many Flash/design skills and techniques and can you offer any advice for newbies?

I think that to create something is to express my existence living now, and to prove my existence having existed. You may already be a good designer, even if you enjoy what you do. I wish you to be proud to yourself and not to be lazy.

What is the most expensive thing you have bought in the last week?

I guess it would be a sparkling wine to celebrate 2 years anniversary in New York with my wife. I don’t usually drink alcohol, but the wine was very delicious so I drank half the bottle in one day.

Any parting shots or pearls of wisdom?

Nothing is forever.

It has been a privilege, thanks very much

Thank you very much.

Links