'2025 Daejeon Design Festa' Showcases Trends in Regional Design

Exhibition of Winning Works from the 34th Daejeon Design Award and Kkumssi Family Products

Photo by Daejeon City

The opening ceremony of the '2025 Daejeon Design Festa,' the leading design festival in the central region that offers a comprehensive view of various trends in regional design, was held successfully on November 27 at the Hannam University Campus Innovation Park.

This year's event, themed 'Design for Happy Daejeon,' will run from November 27 to 29. It features exhibitions showcasing the achievements of Daejeon's design ecosystem, including the regional design industry, public design, local branding, and university and young designer projects, along with a range of side events.

This year's exhibition takes a multifaceted look at the diverse trends in regional design, centering on five themed zones representing the concept of HAPPY (H·A·P·P·Y).

The H Zone features the 'Daejeon Design Hotspot' project and products utilizing Daejeon's local culture and tourism resources, highlighting the growth potential of locally based design.

The A Zone presents winning works from the 'Daejeon Design Award' and future-oriented projects that integrate design, science, and technology, demonstrating the scalability and future value of design.

The P Zone showcases the outcomes of support projects for design development in local businesses, sharing cases of design utilization to strengthen industrial competitiveness.

In the P (Public) Zone, projects such as local branding, public facility development, and public design initiatives linked to the 2026 World Photovoltaic Congress are on display, illustrating the role of public design in enhancing the quality of life for citizens and the dignity of the city.

The Y Zone features educational and research achievements from five universities-Daejeon University, Mokwon University, Paichai University, Chungnam National University, and Hannam University-based on the RISE project, as well as projects by students participating in the World-Class Designer Development Project (KDM+), providing a platform that showcases the experimental efforts and potential of future design talent.

Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon (Photo by Daejeon City)

Alongside the exhibition, a variety of academic, experiential, and consultation programs are being offered, spanning across generations and fields.

At the design forum held on the same day, Professor Lee Jangseop of Seoul National University and Professor Choi Sungho of Hanyang Cyber University participated as speakers, engaging in an in-depth discussion on the theme 'Urban Narrative_Design Connecting Places and Communities,' exploring the roles of urban spaces, local communities, and design.

On the morning of November 28, a 'Children's Design Festival' will be held for kindergarteners, offering them an opportunity to express their vision of a 'Happy Daejeon' through drawing.

In the afternoon, a designer business consultation session for local companies and a designer employment consultation session for young job seekers will be held, providing practical opportunities for exchange and collaboration among companies, designers, and youth.

On November 29, a tessellation (pattern craft) experience program will be available for kindergarteners, elementary students, and citizens, offering a hands-on opportunity to directly experience design principles.

Throughout the exhibition period, a participatory stamp tour event will also take place. Visitors who tour all five zones following the exhibition map and complete a satisfaction survey will receive a 'Kkumdori & Kkumsooni Baseball Random Iron-On Patch' (limited to 50 pieces per day).

A representative from the Daejeon Design Promotion Agency stated, "We have prepared a true design festival by strengthening programs for each generation, not just the exhibition," adding, "If you visit the event venue with family, friends, or a partner, you will have a special opportunity to experience the design and happiness of Daejeon."

Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon (Photo by Daejeon City)

Lee Jangwoo, Mayor of Daejeon, stated, "The Daejeon Design Festa is a festival that best showcases Daejeon's unique strength of expanding design into industry, the city, and citizens' daily lives. For Daejeon to grow as a creative city where science and culture coexist, design must serve as a core competitive edge."

He continued, "Through this event, which brings together local businesses, universities, young designers, and citizens, we have once again confirmed Daejeon's potential. We will spare no effort in supporting design-driven urban innovation and the development of the design industry ecosystem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.