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 MEET THE MAKER: THE BUILDER BEHIND THE VISION

INTERVIEW BY GIORGIO D'ALBANO



47th episode: 🇰🇷 JIWOO SEON product designer at LEGO GROUP Jiwoo Seon
Where are you from and what did you study?
Hi. My name is Jiwoo Seon and I’m from South Korea. I studied Advanced Material Science and Engineering in university, which covered a broad range of materials including semiconductors, nanomaterials, and polymers. It gave me a strong foundation in how materials work and how things are made
What do you do, what job do you do now?
After graduating from university, I spent six years working as a piping design engineer in the Power Plant Division at Hyundai Engineering
Later, I began working as a LEGO artist creating my LEGO works and sharing them with LEGO fans around the world. In 2024, I held my first solo exhibition in Gangnam, Seoul, and was also invited to exhibit my work at the Masterpiece Gallery in LEGO House, Billund, Denmark
Now, I continue my journey as a LEGO artist and starting in August 2025, I’ll begin a new chapter as a Product Designer at the LEGO Group in Billund, Denmark. I’m truly grateful and excited for the opportunity
What inspired you to become a LEGO builder?
LEGO sparked my imagination as a child, but it was in adulthood that I truly discovered its quiet strength as a medium to express myself, tell stories, and reconnect with the world. What began as simple play slowly grew into a language of connection, creativity, and healing
Where do you get inspiration for your creations?
I often draw inspiration from my daily life my thoughts, emotions, and quiet reflections. In earlier works like my modular series, I tried to express imagined beauty and inner worlds. But more recently, my creations have become a way to document my life itself. I build to capture moments, preserve meaning, and tell honest stories through LEGO
What is your favorite LEGO work that you have built so far?
Overture of Blossoms : Journey to Freedom.
It’s a piece that holds a special place in my heart. I created it as a way to mark the beginning of my personal journey an inner search for inspiration, and the courage to bloom. I keep it displayed on the wall of my room, as a quiet reminder of where it all began. This piece also became the foundation for my very first solo exhibition, so it’s something I’ll always carry with me
What has been the most complex challenge you have faced as a LEGO builder?
Expressing emotion and organic flow with structured LEGO bricks is never easy, but that’s exactly what makes it meaningful for me. Every build becomes an opportunity to challenge convention and find my own language through shape and storytelling
Do you have a favorite technique or a special method that you use in your constructions?
To be honest, when I first heard this question, I wasn’t sure I had one specific technique that I always rely on. It really depends on what I’m building and what I want to express. But looking back, I’ve realized that I tend to use hinge, clip and bar elements when creating soft, organic curves or hidden connections. I think I naturally gravitate toward those methods because I enjoy making forms that feel gentle, flowing, and emotionally resonant even with such structured materials like LEGO
What themes or subjects do you like to explore the most in your creations?
In the beginning, I enjoyed creating works that aligned with existing LEGO themes, such as BrickHeadz and the modular building series. As I started to weave my own story into my creations, I gradually moved beyond set themes and began exploring a wider range of subjects from sculpture-like expressions to lifestyle-inspired pieces.
These days, I’m especially drawn to themes that reflect personal growth, memory, and emotional connection. I look forward to continuing this journey and exploring even more diverse and meaningful directions in the future
What is the largest or most ambitious project you have ever made?
My first solo exhibition, Journey to Freedom, which was held in Seoul in 2024, is the most ambitious project I’ve created so far. It took over six months of planning and preparation, and I built seven original LEGO artworks for the exhibition altogether using more than 50,000 LEGO pieces.
Each piece was connected by a single narrative: my personal journey of seeking inspiration in order to bloom in life. This project wasn’t just about building large-scale works it was about translating something deeply emotional and honest into form. It marked a turning point for me, not only as a LEGO artist but as a storyteller.
That’s why Journey to Freedom remains one of the most meaningful and challenging milestones in my creative journey
What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an expert LEGO builder?
I believe that everyone has their own unique way of expressing themselves. And when we take the time to share and listen to each other’s stories, there’s something truly beautiful in that. I think the joy of building through that process of sharing your own voice naturally leads to growth, whether it’s in technique, design, or creative confidence. That’s how we become better builders, and maybe even experts
Link Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/196672602@N08/
Link Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jiwoo.lego
Link Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jiwoo.seon

















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